rancor

noun

ran·​cor ˈraŋ-kər How to pronounce rancor (audio)
-ˌkȯr
Synonyms of rancor
: bitter deep-seated ill will

Synonyms of rancor

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enmity, hostility, antipathy, antagonism, animosity, rancor, animus mean deep-seated dislike or ill will.

enmity suggests positive hatred which may be open or concealed.

an unspoken enmity

hostility suggests an enmity showing itself in attacks or aggression.

hostility between the two nations

antipathy and antagonism imply a natural or logical basis for one's hatred or dislike, antipathy suggesting repugnance, a desire to avoid or reject, and antagonism suggesting a clash of temperaments leading readily to hostility.

a natural antipathy for self-seekers
antagonism between the brothers

animosity suggests intense ill will and vindictiveness that threaten to kindle hostility.

animosity that led to revenge

rancor is especially applied to bitter brooding over a wrong.

rancor filled every line of his letters

animus adds to animosity the implication of strong prejudice.

objections devoid of personal animus

Examples of rancor in a Sentence

She answered her accusers calmly and without rancor. In the end, the debate created a degree of rancor among the committee members.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Now viewed as a dynasty, there has been much rancor over their recent acquisition of Tarik Skubal. — Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Those short-term tweaks, rising costs and council rancor led to dual downgrades from ratings agencies earlier this year. — A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026 Yet as the memory of the Civil War faded, the meaning of the symbols changed; the names Sumner and Brooks became emblems of partisan rancor—a cautionary tale about the breakdown of civil discourse. — Rob Wolfe, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026 Until the past few years, political rancor had never seeped into Huffman's classroom. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for rancor

Word History

Etymology

Middle English rancour, from Anglo-French rancur, from Late Latin rancor rancidity, rancor, from Latin rancēre

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rancor was in the 14th century

Rhymes for rancor

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Browse Nearby Words

rancio
rancor
rancored
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Cite this Entry

“Rancor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rancor. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rancor

noun
ran·​cor ˈraŋ-kər How to pronounce rancor (audio)
: deep hatred
rancorous
-k(ə-)rəs
adjective
rancorously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on rancor

Nglish: Translation of rancor for Spanish Speakers

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