as in irritating
causing annoyance
for some air travelers, the most rankling aspect of the security measures seems to be the restrictions regarding carry-on baggage
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in raging
to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger
that kind of rude treatment from a young person makes me rankle
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in angering
to make angry
it rankles me when some schools can't even afford paper and pencils for the students
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rankling
Adjective
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In place of intense (and potentially irritating) acids, Mediheal's Madecassoside Blemish Pads target breakouts and breakout-causing bacteria with anti-inflammatory powerhouses madecassoside and cica.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
25 Apr. 2025 -
As the protagonist/antihero, audiences meet everyone through his eyes (and imperious narration) — and in his view, most people are shallow and irritating, especially the residents of Madre Linda.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Then the truck flipped over, sending the workers into the raging water.—
Travis Loller,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Dec. 2024
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Here is the list of fighters that gained immortality as a result of this raging inferno.—
Interesting Engineering,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The prequel will introduce his family and girlfriend and the events that led up to his victory, notorious for angering the Capitol elite.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA TODAY,
12 Mar. 2025
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Reports suggest that some Republican lawmakers are frustrated with Musk’s bluster and that the DOGE approach to slashing the federal bureaucracy is angering constituents and making lawmakers less popular in their districts.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Increasing one’s protein intake requires an annoying amount of foresight, a willingness to experience short-term displeasure, or both.—
Hannah Goldfield,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2025
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This eye-rolling, annual chore is annoying, obviously, but also tied to the functioning of government.—
Made by History,
Time,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Very few things are more frustrating than Wi-Fi that lags mid-stream, mid-binge, or mid-video calls.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
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As frustrating as learning my bearings can be at times, the a-ha moments are always a joy.—
Diego Argüello,
Rolling Stone,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The company built a retail and residential complex around the county’s Coconut Grove Metrorail station, and Martin also is pitching an incinerator site in western Miami-Dade as an alternative to the Levine Cava plan to rebuild the trash-burning facility in Doral.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
4 Jan. 2025
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President Biden awarded the coveted Medal of Valor on Friday to a pair of heroic FDNY firefighters who ignored intense flames and selflessly raced into danger to save desperate New Yorkers who were trapped in burning buildings.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Ghosts that wink could be scary but the face Sal makes is disturbing in other ways.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2025
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In cases where advertising is inevitable, some prefer ads that appeal on a personal level over messaging that can be inappropriate or, even, disturbing and offensive.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Coursing through all of these elements is a seething anger at authoritarianism.—
Glenn Whipp,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Dec. 2024
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Cox and his team were brought in by a handful of wealthy Colorado ranch owners who were still seething over the ballot measure to introduce wolves that passed in 2020 by less than one percent.—
Chris Dorsey,
Forbes,
18 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Rankling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rankling. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
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