dudgeon

Synonym Chooser

How is the word dudgeon distinct from other similar nouns?

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

stormed out of the meeting in high dudgeon

When would huff be a good substitute for dudgeon?

The words huff and dudgeon are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, huff implies a peevish short-lived spell of anger usually at a petty cause.

in a huff he slammed the door

When could offense be used to replace dudgeon?

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

takes deep offense at racial slurs

When is it sensible to use pique instead of dudgeon?

The synonyms pique and dudgeon are sometimes interchangeable, but pique applies to a transient feeling of wounded vanity.

in a pique I foolishly declined the invitation

Where would resentment be a reasonable alternative to dudgeon?

The words resentment and dudgeon can be used in similar contexts, but resentment suggests lasting indignation or ill will.

harbored a lifelong resentment of his brother

In what contexts can umbrage take the place of dudgeon?

The meanings of umbrage and dudgeon 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 dudgeon Beck is in a state of high dudgeon, because there’s a big shipment due and two of his drivers are AWOL. Chris Klimek, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025 Instead, the high dudgeon now heard in Tennant’s fey voice gives too much weight to the smugness of group-thinkers. Armond White, National Review, 18 Sep. 2024 Truth Social, meanwhile, is its own, strange creature: a social media platform born out of Donald Trump’s dudgeon at being banned from Facebook and Twitter due to his posts on those platforms. Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 23 Mar. 2024 But some Angelenos took their picket signs and their dudgeon to City Hall. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2023 His appeal lies in the contrast between this tone of absolute sincerity, which often escalates into high dudgeon, and the nature of his obsessions, which run toward jarring combinations of the stupefyingly mundane and the elaborately scatological. Colin Marshall, The New Yorker, 17 June 2022 Dederer is at her best on such complicities—her own fondness for assholes, our cultural fascination with monsters—and less convincing when in a dudgeon, or deploying her feelings and experiences as intellectual credentials. Laura Kipnis, The New Republic, 5 May 2023 The antics of anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers — whipped into high dudgeon by right-wing politicians who generally wear masks and are fully vaccinated — set off progressives, some of whose worst tendencies are sneering, condescension and sanctimoniousness. Greg Jefferson, San Antonio Express-News, 23 Dec. 2021 Radek Sikorski was in high dudgeon, and rightly so. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 13 Oct. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dudgeon
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
  • The Cost of Negative Emotions in Financial Decision-Making On the flip side, negative emotions, such as anxiety, anger, and sadness, were shown in our study to be associated with a shorter financial time horizon.
    Shane Enete, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The city did not share if the pool would be demolished, nor what is planned for the site. ‘Sad’ swimmers Hundreds of Adventure Oasis lovers commented on the closing announcement on Facebook, sharing anger, sadness and memories of the summer hot spot.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • With love and loss, inspiration and indignation, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) is a folk tale, a small-town barroom yarn, a gothic novel, and a ghost story.
    Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Advertisement To put it mildly, the indignation is real but a remedy is missing. Lawmakers face a deadline at the end of the week to adopt a spending program or trigger a government shutdown.
    Philip Elliott, TIME, 12 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Despite the Eagles' defense having a day, Kelce has taken umbrage with his performance in the biggest game of the season and is seemingly planning to rectify that by returning for the 2025 season.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The speech in Germany, stunned European allies who took umbrage with Vance’s remarks chastising the European nations over free speech rights and mass migration problems.
    Mabinty Quarshie, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 22 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Kurt’s key takeaways Taking a few minutes to protect your data and devices today can save you hours of frustration, heartache and financial loss tomorrow.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Gottlieb went on to clearly express frustration on being the number four No. 1 seed selected.
    Allison Smith, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Coupe, Marino and Lee are in a comparably broad comedic register, each leaning into amusing notes of exasperation.
    Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2025
  • That book took all his research — exhaustive and authoritative but frustratingly inconclusive — and threw it all up in the air in exasperation, which is not something many writers are inclined to do.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Unlike the Patriots backlash, however, current pique against the Kansas City footballers intersects with a couple of larger unexpected social issues.
    Aja Romano, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
  • There’s a knowing performative element to Singer’s pique, yet Freedman’s passion appears genuine, even personal.
    Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dudgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dudgeon. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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