as in acrimonious
having or showing deep-seated resentment
a rancorous autobiography in which the author heaps blame on just about everyone who had the misfortune of knowing him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 rancorous
For nearly two decades, Twitter had been considered the internet’s town square, chaotic and often rancorous but informative and diversely discursive.
—
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
The council vote has long been seen as a formality, with aldermen overwhelmingly approving recent mayors’ picks for open council seats, though Johnson has had a particularly rancorous relationship with the body.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025
But Sox fans weren’t worried, thanks to a recent report that Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf might sell the team to a billionaire who would then rescue the franchise from his rancorous reign.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025
The rancorous, reptilian, essentially unknowable right—rising from the wastes like Trump, Putin, or Sauron—receives the Promethean gift of historical agency.
—Matthew Karp, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
The council vote has long been seen as a formality, with aldermen overwhelmingly approving recent mayors’ picks for open council seats, though Johnson has had a particularly rancorous relationship with the body.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025
But Sox fans weren’t worried, thanks to a recent report that Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf might sell the team to a billionaire who would then rescue the franchise from his rancorous reign.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025
The rancorous, reptilian, essentially unknowable right—rising from the wastes like Trump, Putin, or Sauron—receives the Promethean gift of historical agency.
—Matthew Karp, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rancorous
Adjective
-
Trump, Musk feud explodes into the open A bubbling feud between the US president and his highest-profile advisor and backer escalated into acrimonious public recriminations.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
6 June 2025
-
His little sister Charlotte (Portman), facing an acrimonious divorce, has settled into a staid routine as a mom and art curator.—
Todd Gilchrist,
Variety,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Major tennis governing bodies moved to combat online abuse and published last year a report that attributed nearly half of abusive social media posts to angry gamblers.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
-
Testimony in a Placer County murder trial continued Tuesday with an investigator reciting angry emails over a $1.3 million loan for a fledgling business between a Lake Tahoe-area couple and their former Major League Baseball player son-in-law who is accused of shooting them.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
The $10,000 cap was a sore spot for many taxpayers in high tax states.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
-
The sore spot was red, swollen, and painful—and the boy and his mother had no idea what had caused it.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Like every other entrepreneur, Ian had to face bitter betrayal from people who once believed in his vision.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
-
Right after that, Kansas will face bitter rival Missouri at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City on Dec. 7.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
The British showrunner of that blisteringly cynical drama spent five years and 39 episodes giving us a portrait of filthy rich people pulling strings and behaving badly.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
31 May 2025
-
But the message at the heart of Isle of Dogs, that saving others is the only way to save one’s self, is enough to turn the most cynical viewer into a believer—and maybe even a dog lover.—
Shannon Carlin,
Time,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
After dodging several audience questions about an Office reboot during his opening monologue-turned-Q&A, Carell started getting peppered with resentful recriminations from his own former costars.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
29 May 2025
-
The complexities of her character mirrored in her stony, resentful stare, in her grim, unforgiving mouth, will always baffle and enthrall.—
E.R. Zarevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
7 May 2025
Adjective
-
Bemused tourists attempt to shuffle through the acrid red and blue flare smoke.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
-
That day, the air in midtown Manhattan was choked with acrid wildfire smoke from Canada, and the sky was a macabre shade of orange.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rancorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rancorous. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share