hold a grudge
Nurse old wounds
To hold a grudge is to maintain resentment toward someone for a past offense, refusing to forgive or let go of the injury.
The grudge may persist long after the original slight: She's still holding a grudge about that comment from ten years ago.
Someone who holds grudges is unforgiving by nature.
- rancorLasting bitter resentment
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
- resentmentPersistent bitter displeasure
- bitternessSharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- enmityBitter, lasting ill will
bitter feelings · old wounds · bad blood · unforgiving · hostility · hard feelings · forgiveness · vindictiveness · festering · nursing · ill will · rumination · long memory · antipathy · acrimony · harbor · simmer · brood
emotional response to wrongdoing
hold a grudgeforgive
Cease to blame
let go · forgive and forget · pardon · make peace · bury the hatchet
hold, held, holder, household, holding, grudge, uphold, grouch, threshold