# resentment

/ɹɪˈzɛnmənt/ (US) · /ɹɪsˈɛntmənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/resentment
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. anger at unfairness

noun · CEFR B2

a feeling of anger or bitterness because you think you have been treated unfairly or ignored.

For teachers: a sense of deep and enduring injury or insult that results in feelings of ill will or bitterness. Uncountable in its general sense, though specific instances can be countable.

- He felt a lot of resentment towards his boss for giving the promotion to someone else.
- The long-standing resentment between the two families finally boiled over into a public legal dispute that lasted for years.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'towards' or 'against' a person, or 'at' a situation.

### 2. gratitude or appreciation

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an old-fashioned word for feeling thankful or satisfied.

For teachers: the state of feeling satisfaction or gratitude. This sense is entirely obsolete in modern English and is only encountered in historical texts.

- In the old letter, he expressed his resentment for the kind gift he had received.
- The author used the term resentment to signify his deep appreciation for the patronage he had enjoyed throughout his career.

Teaching tip: This sense is the opposite of the modern meaning; learners should only be aware of it when reading 17th-century literature.

## Examples

- He felt a lot of resentment toward his boss.
- Years of being overlooked for promotions led to a deep sense of resentment among the senior staff members.
- The treaty was signed under duress, sowing seeds of resentment that would eventually destabilize the region's fragile peace for decades to come.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.