rankles
Causes lingering bitterness
Rankles is the third-person singular form of rankle, meaning to cause persistent irritation or resentment.
Something that rankles continues to bother you long after the initial offense: It still rankles that she got credit for my work.
The irritation festers rather than fading—a slight that rankles stays under your skin.
To mildly vex
- gallImpudent boldness or bitterness
- chafeIrritate by friction
- vexTo irritate persistently
- nettleBristled plant; to annoy
grate · aggravate · exasperate · provoke · peeve · pique · bother · needle
Sharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- rancorLasting bitter resentment
- umbrageOffense taken at insult
- indignationAnger from mistreatment
grievance · acrimony · animosity · hostility · spite · enmity · displeasure · discontent
irk
To mildly vex
nettle · grate · aggravate · exasperate · provoke · peeve · pique · bother · needle · niggle
bitterness
Sharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- rancorLasting bitter resentment
- umbrageOffense taken at insult
indignation · grievance · acrimony · animosity · hostility · spite · enmity · displeasure · discontent · smolder
ranklesfades
Grows gradually weaker
passes · dissipates · evaporates · blows over · rolls off