resent
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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resentsimple
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resentssimple
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have resentedperfect
-
has resentedperfect
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am resentingprogressive
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are resentingprogressive
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is resentingprogressive
-
have been resentingperfect progressive
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has been resentingperfect progressive
Past
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resentedsimple
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had resentedperfect
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was resentingprogressive
-
were resentingprogressive
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had been resentingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of resent
First recorded in 1595–1605; from French ressentir “to feel (an emotion),” from Old French res(s)entir, equivalent to re- re- + sentir “to feel,” from Latin sentīre; see sense
Explanation
To resent something is to feel anger or bitterness toward it. You might resent someone who has treated you poorly. To resent is a strong, negative feeling. You may resent the accusation that you were stealing cookies, or when a teacher yelled at you for whispering, even though everyone else was too. You might resent a friend who has more money or friends than you. Lots of people resent celebrities because they're famous and wealthy. If your friend borrowed a sweater and didn’t return it, you would probably resent it. Resenting is the opposite of being grateful.
Vocabulary lists containing resent
The Diary of Anne Frank
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List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Even Tory sympathizers came to resent the manners of the occupying force.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
"I think a lot of country folk just want to be left alone to breed their sheep and hang their moles and resent people who come to the countryside with different views," he says.
From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2026
Second, if she outlives him, I assume his children might resent her, since that could tie up a sizable portion of their inheritance.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 3, 2026
The second most American thing is to find reasons to resent those who rose.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 15, 2026
She hoped they wouldn’t resent it too much.
From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry
But although Adrian soon picks up a camera as well, increasingly interested in being a filmmaker himself, he resents how his father intrudes on their time together by constantly shooting their conversations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
"As she said in her own memoir, she resents that others defined her the first time around," Jellison told the BBC.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026
Because there’s one thing worse than hunkering down during a snowstorm — and that’s doing so with someone who resents your spending.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 25, 2026
She also resents some LGBTQ+ advocates’ comparisons of transgender oppression to racial oppression, which she sees as illogical.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
Everybody resents this inconvenience, and everyone becomes the ruler’s enemy; and these are enemies that can be harmful, since, although conquered, they remain in their own homes.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
"I think he really resented how loved she was, and how revered she was, and how adored she was, and that was actually part of why he wanted to destroy her."
From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026
Many community members also resented attempts by these organizations to work with local politicians who were criticized for their handling of the disaster.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026
He’s long resented her inability to contain the frenzy surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein files.
From Slate ● Apr. 4, 2026
As Ms. Iritani explains, their success was resented, especially during the Depression.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026
They resented her spending time on those dumb inventions.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
“When you don’t plan for joy, you end up either overspending impulsively or depriving yourself and resenting your money plan.”
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 27, 2026
I grew up Hasidic and spent much of my adult life resenting it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026
She’s still reeling from her father’s death while also resenting having to parent Robbie’s kids after his wife abandoned them.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2025
Calo: Donna has forced Natalie for her whole life into the place of making it OK and then resenting her for making it OK.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2024
While I was already dubious about many of the foster parents and caseworkers, I do not remember being angry or resenting my mother.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.