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

Examples 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 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 On Thursday, the asymmetrical reaction from the two parties — with Democrats in high dudgeon and Republicans relatively muted — hinted at how the two sides may approach the issue in the midterm campaign. Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dudgeon
Noun
  • 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
  • The huffs and hums, produced by two women standing face-to-face and vocalizing from their throats, is believed to be one of the oldest music forms in the world.
    Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2024
Noun
  • Wednesday's extraordinary display of Elon Musk's social media power saw the world's richest man funnel the anger of his hundreds of millions of online followers against a bipartisan compromise funding bill.
    Scott Rosenberg, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024
  • The outpouring of anger at health insurers following the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson continues a cycle of rage that dates back decades.
    Noam N. Levey, Fortune Well, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Trump has skated again and could care less about their indignation.
    Letters to the Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 6 Dec. 2024
  • Trowbridge is so concerned that he’s posted officers at both of her residences (something Dennison describes with arid indignation as a spectacular misuse of public monies).
    Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Despite Roan anticipating potential backlash to her statement and preemptively shooting down that logic (as well as turning off the comments section on that Instagram post), some folks still took umbrage.
    Joe Lynch, Billboard, 19 Dec. 2024
  • The Swifties who took umbrage at a reference to Taylor Swift in Ye’s verse could only slow its momentum.
    Mike Wass, Variety, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Baltimore resident Jay Jackson expressed frustration over the ongoing crime spree.
    Rebecca Pryor, Baltimore Sun, 24 Dec. 2024
  • In the film, chunks of the audience are cheering, jeering, or crying, in joy or frustration regarding Dylan’s decision to trade folk for rock music, or because of the poor sound quality.
    Brady Gerber, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Showing exasperation with the players involved does little to inspire confidence in them, and communicates to supporters that a manager is thinking about their own brand as much as the side’s performance.
    Michael Cox, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
  • And through it all, Carnesecca was a swirling, kinetic presence on the sidelines, arms flailing, legs kicking, shirttails flying, all 5-foot-6 of him curled in exasperation over a missed shot or agonizing call.
    Mike Fitzpatrick, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Additionally, Brrr°® has a vast library of production-ready cooling fabrics in polyester, nylon and a variety of blends across all major fabric types including knits, wovens, interlock, mesh, pique, sheeting and 30 denier lightweight fabrics for hoodies and technical garments, to name a few.
    SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 27 Nov. 2024
  • Available to be purchased at the Garden are the Sport-tec quarter-zip pullover ($120), 1983 Classic pique polo in purple haze and vintage plus ($95) and The Garden Cup T-shirt ($48).
    Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 22 Nov. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Dudgeon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dudgeon. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

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