Meaning & use
resent
Last updated
UK/rɪˈzent/
US/rɪˈzent/
Meaning
verbtransitive
To feel bitter or angry about something you think is unfair.
Grammar: Takes an object or an -ing form: resent the delay, resent being told what to do.
Patterns
- resent something
- resent doing something
- resent someone for something
She resented her brother for getting all the attention.
I resent being treated like a child.
Word forms
| third person singular | resents |
|---|---|
| past tense | resented |
| past participle | resented |
| -ing form | resenting |
Common combinations
- deeply resent
- He deeply resents the criticism.
- resent the fact that
- I resent the fact that nobody asked me.
- bitterly resent
- They bitterly resented the new rules.
- resent someone's success
- Don't resent your friend's success.
Synonyms and how they differ
- begrudge
- Means to grudge someone something they have.
- dislike
- Weaker and without the idea of unfair treatment.
- take offense
- Focuses on a reaction to an insult.
Opposites
Word family
- resentment noun
- bitter feeling
- resentful adjective
- feeling bitter
- resentfully adverb
- in a bitter manner
Commonly confused: resent or represent? resent or re-sent?
resent vs represent
Sounds similar but means to stand for.
resent vs re-sent
Sent again, written with a hyphen.
Practice
He ___ working every weekend while his colleagues went home.
Choose one answer.
Resented means felt bitter. Enjoyed and appreciated imply pleasure, which does not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “resent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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