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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rancorous
Contrast that with the current perception of American college campuses (and, to an extent, campuses across the wider world) constantly portrayed as rancorous battlegrounds in the culture wars, where dissenting ideas are often collateral damage, as are those promulgating them.
—
Shaun Carver, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
The recent months of campaigning have been volatile and rancorous, underscoring a changing American narrative in which a white, mostly Christian majority is shrinking in the face of a growing multiracial population.
—Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
The conditions were ripe for a takeover, and Richard J. Daley — who had taken control of the Cook County Democratic Party — defeated Kennelly in a rancorous three-way primary in 1955.
—Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2024
These disputes became more rancorous after Russia’s 2008 war in Georgia and its 2014 annexation of Crimea, with liberal internationalists arguing that these wars revealed Putin to be an imperialist, revisionist leader seeking to reconquer the Soviet empire.
—Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 6 Sep. 2022
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Shaun Carver, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
The recent months of campaigning have been volatile and rancorous, underscoring a changing American narrative in which a white, mostly Christian majority is shrinking in the face of a growing multiracial population.
—Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
The conditions were ripe for a takeover, and Richard J. Daley — who had taken control of the Cook County Democratic Party — defeated Kennelly in a rancorous three-way primary in 1955.
—Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2024
These disputes became more rancorous after Russia’s 2008 war in Georgia and its 2014 annexation of Crimea, with liberal internationalists arguing that these wars revealed Putin to be an imperialist, revisionist leader seeking to reconquer the Soviet empire.
—Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 6 Sep. 2022
See All Example Sentences for rancorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rancorous
Adjective
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The startup is competing with AI firms such as OpenAI, which Musk co-founded before an acrimonious split with that company.—
Bloomberg News,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2025
-
Lydon originally split with the band after an acrimonious show at San Francisco’s Winterland in 1978.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Harry Belafonte was angry at Martin Luther King’s funeral.—
Made by History,
Time,
4 Apr. 2025
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Related article People are angry at Gen Z taking photos of airport trays.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Middleton was said to be extremely sore the past few days, but considering what could have happened when Bo Horvat pushed him from behind so far from the boards, that’s relatively good news.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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Power forward Aaron Gordon was also questionable with an illness and a sore right calf.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The bitter dispute recently tipped into its fourth consecutive month and has escalated.—
Anna Cooban,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2025
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Which is really too bad because bitter is a lot more fun to watch on TV.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Val did something special with a typical 1980s cynical rebel/wisecracker role, giving his character a layer of big brother warmth.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2025
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On the movie front, Viola Davis is an endangered POTUS in G20, Tom Hardy plays a cynical detective in Havoc, and documentary subjects include the Stranger Things stage production, the Milwaukee Brewers’ 1982 season and the Disney cult classic A Goofy Movie.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Chief among those are the stubbornness, hot-headedness and resentful pride that drove away Maryanne (The Righteous Gemstones’ Jennifer Nettles), his ex-wife and erstwhile performing partner, and their teenage son, Cade (Maxwell Jenkins).—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2025
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Season 1 was largely about a conflict over a room, the butting of heads between the privileged guests and the resentful staff.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But there’s a qualitative difference with a spiteful, foul-mouthed, score-settling president leading by acrid example.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2025
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Semi acrid mid palate and a finish with vanilla and raspberries—doused in acidity.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rancorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rancorous. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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