Meaning & use
a grudge
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A feeling of anger or dislike toward someone because of something they did in the past.
Grammar: Countable; common in phrases like 'hold a grudge' and 'bear a grudge'.
Patterns
- hold a grudge against someone
- bear a grudge against someone
- have a grudge against someone
She still holds a grudge against her old boss for firing her unfairly.
He is not the kind of person to bear a grudge.
They had a grudge against the referee after the match.
Word forms
| plural | grudges |
|---|
Common combinations
- hold a grudge
- It is unhealthy to hold a grudge for years.
- bear a grudge
- She still bears a grudge against her former friend.
- a grudge against someone
- He has a grudge against his neighbor about the fence.
- nurse a grudge
- He nursed a grudge after losing the election.
Synonyms and how they differ
- resentment
- Resentment is a general bitter feeling; a grudge is more specific and often kept against a person.
- bitterness
- Bitterness is a lasting angry feeling about bad treatment; a grudge is usually directed at someone.
Opposites
Word family
- grudging adjective
- Given unwillingly or with resentment.
- grudgingly adverb
- In an unwilling or resentful way.
Commonly confused: a grudge or grunge?
a grudge vs grunge
Grunge is a style of rock music or a fashion look; a grudge is a feeling of anger.
Practice
Which phrase correctly completes the sentence: 'She still ______ a grudge against him.'
Choose one answer.
The correct phrase is 'hold a grudge' or 'bear a grudge'. 'Make', 'do', and 'take' do not collocate with 'grudge' in this meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a grudge”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.