Rankling — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb adjective /ˈraŋ-kəl/ ran·kle

Meaning & Definition of Rankling

Rankling (verb)

  1. to cause anger, irritation, or deep bitterness
  2. to feel anger and irritation
  3. to cause irritation or bitterness in

Rankling (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing annoyance

    "for some air travelers, the most rankling aspect of the security measures seems to be the restrictions regarding carry-on baggage"

    similar: abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, nettling, peeving, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, pesty, plaguey, rebarbative, riling, vexatious, vexing
    related: burdensome, discomforting, displeasing, disquieting, distressing, importunate, importune, inconveniencing, angering, enraging, infuriating, brattish, bratty, mischievous, offensive, troublesome, upsetting, distractive, painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, worrisome, biting, grating, jangling, jarring, spiny, thorny
    near: delightful, pleasing

Rankling (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger

    "that kind of rude treatment from a young person makes me rankle"

    similar: boiling, burning, foaming, fuming, raging, seething, sizzling, steaming, storming, seeing red
    related: fulminating, ranting, raving, smoldering, bristling, flaring (up), inflaming, chafing, fretting, stewing, agitating, convulsing, roiling, shaking

  2. to make angry

    "it rankles me when some schools can't even afford paper and pencils for the students"

    similar: angering, enraging, incensing, inflaming, infuriating, iring, maddening, madding, outraging, riling, roiling, steaming up, ticking off, getting one's goat, rubbing the wrong way
    related: affronting, aggravating, annoying, burning (up), crossing, exasperating, getting, huffing, irritating, miffing, nettling, offending, peeving, piquing, provoking, putting out, ruffling, vexing, antagonizing, embittering, envenoming
    opposite: delighting, gratifying, pleasing
    near: allaying, assuaging, relieving, comforting, consoling, soothing, appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, pacifying, placating, calming, lulling, quieting, settling, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, charming, disarming, enchanting

Related Entry: Rankle (verb)

Rankle is a different word from Rankling. The synonyms below are for rankle, not for rankling.

  1. to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger

    "that kind of rude treatment from a young person makes me rankle"

    similar: boil, burn, foam, fume, rage, seethe, sizzle, steam, storm, see red
    related: fulminate, rant, rave, smolder, bristle, flare (up), inflame, chafe, fret, stew, agitate, convulse, roil, shake

  2. to make angry

    "it rankles me when some schools can't even afford paper and pencils for the students"

    similar: anger, enrage, incense, inflame, infuriate, ire, mad, madden, outrage, rile, roil, steam up, tick off, get one's goat, rub the wrong way
    related: affront, aggravate, annoy, burn (up), cross, exasperate, get, huff, irritate, miff, nettle, offend, peeve, pique, provoke, put out, ruffle, vex, antagonize, embitter, envenom
    opposite: delight, gratify, please
    near: allay, assuage, relieve, comfort, console, soothe, appease, conciliate, mollify, pacify, placate, calm, lull, quiet, settle, beguile, bewitch, captivate, charm, disarm, enchant

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Rankling

The most common words with a similar meaning to Rankling:

abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating, galling, irksome, irritating, maddening, nettlesome, nettling, peeving, pesky, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, pesty, plaguey, rebarbative, riling, vexatious, vexing, boiling, burning, foaming, fuming, raging, seething, sizzling, steaming, storming, angering, enraging, incensing, inflaming, infuriating

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Rankling

Words with the opposite meaning of Rankling:

delighting, gratifying, pleasing

Related Words for Rankling

burdensome, discomforting, displeasing, disquieting, distressing, importunate, importune, inconveniencing, brattish, bratty, mischievous, offensive, troublesome, upsetting, distractive, painful, stressful, tiresome, troubling, trying, worrisome, biting, grating, jangling, jarring, spiny, thorny, fulminating, ranting, raving

Near Antonyms of Rankling

delightful, allaying, assuaging, relieving, comforting, consoling, soothing, appeasing, conciliating, mollifying, pacifying, placating, calming, lulling, quieting, settling, beguiling, bewitching, captivating, charming, disarming, enchanting

Word Forms of Rankling

Inflections: rankled

Origin & Etymology of Rankling

Middle English ranclen to fester, from Anglo-French rancler, from Old French draoncler, raoncler, from draoncle, raoncle festering sore, from Medieval Latin dracunculus, from Latin, diminutive of draco serpent dragon

First known use: 1606i

Frequently Asked Questions about Rankling

What does "Rankling" mean?

"Rankling" means to cause anger, irritation, or deep bitterness. As an a verb and an adjective, it is defined as: to cause anger, irritation, or deep bitterness. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Rankling"?

Other words for "Rankling" include abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing and exasperating. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Rankling" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Rankling"?

There are 101 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Rankling". Common alternatives include abrasive, aggravating, annoying, bothersome, carking, chafing, disturbing, exasperating, frustrating and galling.

What is the opposite of "Rankling"?

Antonyms of "Rankling" include delighting, gratifying and pleasing. Near antonyms include delightful, allaying, assuaging and relieving.

How do you use "Rankling" in a sentence?

Examples of "Rankling" in a sentence: "for some air travelers, the most rankling aspect of the security measures seems to be the restrictions regarding carry-on baggage"; "that kind of rude treatment from a young person makes me rankle"; "it rankles me when some schools can't even afford paper and pencils for the students".

Is "Rankling" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Rankling" can be used as a verb and an adjective, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Rankling"?

"Rankling" is pronounced /ˈraŋ-kəl/ and divided into syllables as ran·kle.

What is the origin of the word "Rankling"?

"Rankling" comes from Middle English ranclen to fester, from Anglo-French rancler, from Old French draoncler, raoncler, from draoncle, raoncle festering sore, from Medieval Latin dracunculus, from Latin, diminutive of draco serpent dragon. First known use: 1606i.