RANKLED Synonyms: 230 Similar and Opposite Words

rankled 1 of 2

adjective

as in angered

feeling or showing anger our supervisor was rankled by all the unexpected delays and problems we ran into

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rankled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of rankle

as in raged

to be excited or emotionally stirred up with anger that kind of rude treatment from a young person makes me rankle

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in infuriated

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

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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 rankled

Verb

Advertisement That prescription has rankled many cybersecurity experts who scoff at the possibility that their expertise will be rendered obsolete. — Harry Booth, Time, 20 Oct. 2026 Such a statement may have rankled in Princeton’s hallowed halls. — Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026 El-Sayed, an American of Egyptian descent who would be the first Muslim senator if elected, has rankled at the GOP accusations, including in a recent TV interview. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Over all these sounds, Casey bemoans a world rankled with cryptocurrency, data centers and fascists. — David Harris, SPIN, 28 Sep. 2026 The essay follows the yearslong debate over AI’s place within the creative industry, which has further rankled people after AI company leaders acknowledged the tools may slip out of human control. — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 23 Sep. 2026 Across the litigation, Paramount had been rankled that the government and dozens of foreign regulators cleared the purchase. — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026 The secrecy around the project rankled; even though almost a quarter of it is owned by Albanian businessmen, their names are hidden in an offshore corporation. — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 Districts rankled by LifeWise rollout On a Friday in May, a LifeWise program director notified a Denton ISD middle school that Bible classes would begin the following Monday. — Kelsy Mittauer, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rankled

Adjective

The bar has been sparsely attended on what would normally be busy Saturday nights as some angered customers have called for a boycott, according to The Boston Globe.

— Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Police said the two male juveniles became angered when the other three would not take them to buy marijuana.

— Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026

Definition of angered

Verb

One American season later, the race demons raged and all of those commitments are dropped.

— Kamau Bobb October 21, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
According to Hyperallergic, the Grand Palais was briefly placed under lockdown on October 17, while protests raged outside and galleries worked to install their booths.

— News Desk, Artforum, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of raged

Verb

Trip isn’t the standout role, but Keery handles the character’s exasperated monologues with panache, turning self-defense and infuriated straight-talk into acts of exhilarating sanity.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Sydney Sweeney is no stranger to starring in a controversial ad — and her latest effort has infuriated female athletes, including Olympians.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of infuriated

Adjective

And not just any velociraptor, but the enraged dinosaur that pushed franchise champion Rachel Reilly into a volcano, thereby burning the reality TV icon to a crisp in a sea of lava.

— Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2026
Imagine the ripe smell of swamp-wet dogs, the acrid stench of overheated, enraged bear, the slippery warm blood of pack members already lost; the simply insufferable noise and confusion in that dank little hole.

— Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of enraged

Verb

Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani — steamed under a pastry crust and flavored with seasonings blended in India by Adi’s mother.

— Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
Zucchini With its high water content, zucchini can turn mushy and even fall apart when steamed.

— Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of steamed

Verb

That was the question that annoyed Steinbrenner, who is backing a system that would strip his team of a financial advantage while falling in line with other billionaire ballclub owners, who tend to vote as a unified bloc.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
The innkeeper is annoyed that his wife wants more conversation.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of annoyed

Adjective

Legend has it that sad fates befell those who made her angry and happy ones those who were kind to her.

— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
Meanwhile, angry residents continue to flood once-sleepy municipal board meetings, pressuring officials to reject data center proposals.

— Marc Levy, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of angry

Verb

Republicans stormed to their first majority in the House (54 seats net) in 40 years and recaptured the Senate with eight new seats there as well.

— Ron Elving, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
In 2006, the Charger stormed the market as a rubber-burning full-size sedan that gained muscle over the years, culminating in a 797-horsepower variant.

— Matt Degen, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of stormed

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“Rankled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rankled. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of rankled

adjective

verb

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