Word
grudge
US/ˈɡɹədʒ/
UK/ɡɹˈʌdʒ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a strong feeling of anger or dislike toward someone that you keep for a long time because they did something to hurt you.
n. a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury.
Examples
“He still holds a grudge against me for that mistake.”
“She refused to attend the wedding because she was still nursing a grudge over a decade-old argument.”
“While some team members moved past the initial disagreement, others harbored a deep-seated grudge that eventually poisoned the office culture and stalled the entire project.”
Examples
simple
“He still holds a grudge against me for that mistake.”
contextual
“She refused to attend the wedding because she was still nursing a grudge over a decade-old argument.”
complex
“While some team members moved past the initial disagreement, others harbored a deep-seated grudge that eventually poisoned the office culture and stalled the entire project.”
Usage
Commonly used with the verbs 'hold', 'bear', 'harbor', or 'nurse'.
Pitfall
He has a grudge for me
He has a grudge against me
The noun 'grudge' typically takes the preposition 'against' to indicate the person who is the target of the resentment.
Etymology
A variant of grutch (mid 15th-century, younger than begrudge), from Middle English grucchen (“to murmur, complain, feel envy, begrudge”), from Old French grouchier, groucier (“to murmur, grumble”), of Germanic origin, probably ultimately imitative. Akin to Middle High German grogezen (“to howl, wail”), German grocken (“to croak”). Compare also Old Norse krytja (“to murmur”), Old High German grunzen (“to grunt”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. hold a grudge
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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