rankle
Cause lingering resentment
Rankle means to cause persistent irritation or resentment.
A slight or injustice rankles when it continues to bother you long after it happened: The insult still rankled years later.
Something can rankle a person or simply rankle, festering in the mind: It rankles that she never apologized.
Irritate by friction
- irkTo mildly vex
- vexTo irritate persistently
- annoyCause mild irritation
- gallImpudent boldness or bitterness
nettle · aggravate · exasperate · bother · peeve · rile · needle · provoke
Incite to action
- baitLure for prey
- inciteUrge toward action
- antagonizeIncite hostility in
- affrontDeliberate public insult
offend · instigate · inflame · agitate · roil · stir up · foment · prick
chafe
Irritate by friction
gall · nettle · aggravate · exasperate · bother · peeve · rile · needle · provoke · grate
goad
Incite to action
- baitLure for prey
- inciteUrge toward action
- antagonizeIncite hostility in
affront · offend · instigate · inflame · agitate · roil · stir up · foment · prick · sting
grudge
Persistent resentment toward someone
- bitternessSharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
- ill willHostile or unfriendly feeling
grievance · umbrage · indignation · spite · malice · enmity · antipathy · hostility · dudgeon · pique
fester
Decay or seethe inside
ulcer · inflammation · abscess · boil · infection · decay · linger · persist · rot · canker