resentment

1
2
as in jealousy
a painful awareness of another's possessions or advantages and a desire to have them too I don't have any resentment over my friend's luxurious house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

Synonym Chooser

How is the word resentment distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of resentment are dudgeon, huff, offense, pique, and umbrage. While all these words mean "an emotional response to or an emotional state resulting from a slight or indignity," resentment suggests lasting indignation or ill will.

harbored a lifelong resentment of his brother

When could dudgeon be used to replace resentment?

While the synonyms dudgeon and resentment are close in meaning, dudgeon suggests an angry fit of indignation.

stormed out of the meeting in high dudgeon

When can huff be used instead of resentment?

While in some cases nearly identical to resentment, huff implies a peevish short-lived spell of anger usually at a petty cause.

in a huff he slammed the door

When might offense be a better fit than resentment?

Although the words offense and resentment have much in common, offense implies hurt displeasure.

takes deep offense at racial slurs

When is pique a more appropriate choice than resentment?

The words pique and resentment are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pique applies to a transient feeling of wounded vanity.

in a pique I foolishly declined the invitation

When is it sensible to use umbrage instead of resentment?

The meanings of umbrage and resentment largely overlap; however, umbrage may suggest hurt pride, resentment, or suspicion of another's motives.

took umbrage at the offer of advice

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of resentment As the evening progresses, resentments, misconceptions, and the tragic results of a deadly school fire rise from the ashes. Andy Hoglund Updated, EW.com, 18 May 2025 Ellis wants to be more, do more, and as much as he’s come to respect Saxton like a father, there’s a bit of childish resentment mixed in, too, for being treated like the second-best son. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 May 2025 Characters and situations will fragment and recombine in ever-changing symmetries, the axis of sympathy and resentment flipping and flipping again as several generations of women in the same Taiwanese family tumble through a couple of tumultuous months. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 15 May 2025 This is largely because of the general resentment surrounding Paul, not because of his heelish actions inside the ring, but because of his controversial actions outside of it. Jeremy Hanna, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for resentment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for resentment
Noun
  • The violence all allegedly stemmed from a workplace grudge triggered by a $100 equipment bill from his boss for damage to heavy construction equipment, authorities said.
    Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
  • He’s been too busy winning state titles with the Bruins to get riled up about old grudges.
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • Chloë Sevigny plays Anne, whose arrival at the family’s holiday villa on the French Riviera sets in motion a deadly cycle of jealousy and retribution.
    Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 23 May 2025
  • The jealousy that Angel Reese has towards her and has consistently shown makes Caitlin fans hate her.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • Law enforcement officials believe the man, Ramon Morales Reyes, never wrote a letter that Noem and her department shared with a message written in light blue ink expressing anger over Trump’s deportations and threatening to shoot him in the head with a rifle at a rally.
    Mike Balsamo, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
  • Law enforcement officials believe the man, Ramon Morales Reyes, never wrote a letter that Noem and her department shared with a message written in light blue ink expressing anger over Trump's deportations and threatening to shoot him in the head with a rifle at a rally.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 June 2025
Noun
  • Either Paul was calling me with grievances or Emma was updating me with bad news.
    Matt Wolf, Vulture, 28 May 2025
  • As a result, in each league, dozens of grievances are commenced and resolved each year, typically without any public awareness.
    Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • No more tolerance of hatred, no more mercy for criminals.
    Sarah Beth Hensley, ABC News, 28 May 2025
  • Antisemitism, hatred and terrorism must be stopped, lest our civilization fall into the abyss.
    Diane Gensler, Baltimore Sun, 26 May 2025
Noun
  • The chute opens, and rambunctious No. 2 bursts out with an impatient huff.
    Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Volunteers were charged around 25 cents per huff, bringing in good profit for those who’d invested in the necessary gas tanks, tubes, and breathing bags.
    Oshan Jarow, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Noun
  • Moments before allegedly opening fire, Zhao vented his frustrations at a supervisor and a co-worker whom Zhao blamed for a collision between his forklift and a bulldozer, prosecutors claim.
    Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 4 June 2025
  • Postgame, their manager’s frustration was palpable.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • As the film progresses, this wide-eyed curiosity shifts to righteous indignation, but these reactions are muddled by her feelings for Basem.
    Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2025
  • But there’s vulnerability buried in that sort of indignation.
    Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 16 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Resentment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/resentment. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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