rankling
Causing lasting resentment
Rankling describes something that continues to cause irritation, resentment, or bitterness over time.
A rankling insult doesn't fade but festers.
The word captures how certain slights or injustices stay with us, quietly gnawing: The unfairness of the decision was still rankling years later.
From the verb rankle, meaning to cause persistent annoyance or ill feeling.
Sharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- grievanceFormal claim of unfairness
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
- ill-willHostile or unkind feeling
festering · smoldering · lingering · nursing · harboring · deep-seated · unresolved · long-standing
bitterness
Sharp, unpleasant taste or feeling
- grudgePersistent resentment toward someone
- grievanceFormal claim of unfairness
- animosityActive, bitter hostility
ill-will · festering · smoldering · lingering · nursing · harboring · deep-seated · unresolved · long-standing · pent-up
nagging
Persistent bothering or complaining
- gnawingPersistent biting action
- gallingIntensely annoying or humiliating
- chafingIrritation from friction
nettling · vexing · irking · aggravating · bothering · pestering · fretting · niggling · persistent · unrelenting
festering
Becoming infected, decaying
inflamed · painful · tender · sensitive · old · reopened · emotional · psychological · scarred · deep
- irritatingannoying, aggravating, bothersome, exasperating, frustrating
ranklingpleasing
Causing enjoyment or satisfaction
soothing · comforting · delightful · gratifying · satisfying
rankle, rancor, rancorous, rankled, rankles, rancors, rancour, rancorousness