grudge

UK: /ˈgrʌdʒ/ US: /grʌdʒ/ ,(gruj)

Inflections of 'grudge' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

grudges

v 3rd person singular

grudging

v pres p

grudged

v past

grudged

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

grudge /grʌdʒ/   n., v., grudged, grudg•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. a feeling of ill will or resentment because of some real or imagined wrong:
   can really hold a grudge.

v. [~ + object + object]

2. to give or permit with reluctance:
   They grudged us every day we were away.
3. to resent the good fortune of (another);
   begrudge:
   I don't grudge her her good fortune.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

grudge  (gruj), n., adj., v., grudged, grudg•ing. 
n. 

1. a feeling of ill will or resentment:
   to hold a grudge against a former opponent.

adj. 

2. done, arranged, etc., in order to settle a grudge:
   The middleweight fight was said to be a grudge match.

v.t. 

3. to give or permit with reluctance;
   submit to unwillingly:
   The other team grudged us every point we scored.
4. to resent the good fortune of (another);
   begrudge.

v.i. 

5. [Obs.] to feel dissatisfaction or ill will.

• Gmc; compare Middle High German grogezen to complain, cry out
• Old French gro(u)c(h)ier
• late Middle English grudgen, gruggen, variant of gruchen 1400–50

grudge′less, adj. 
grudg′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. bitterness, rancor, malevolence, enmity, hatred.
  Grudge, malice, spite refer to ill will held against another or others. A grudge is a feeling of resentment harbored because of some real or fancied wrong:
  to hold a grudge because of jealousy; She has a grudge against him.
  Malice is the state of mind that delights in doing harm, or seeing harm done, to others, whether expressing itself in an attempt seriously to injure or merely in sardonic humor:
  malice in watching someone's embarrassment; to tell lies about someone out of malice.
  Spite is petty, and often sudden, resentment that manifests itself usually in trifling retaliations:
  to reveal a secret out of spite.
• 4. envy.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

grudge / ɡrʌdʒ/ noun

1. a persistent feeling of resentment, esp one due to some cause, such as an insult or injury
2. (modifier) planned or carried out in order to settle a grudge: a grudge fight

verb

1. (transitive) to give or allow unwillingly
2. to feel resentful or envious about (someone else's success, possessions, etc)

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French grouchier to grumble, probably of Germanic origin; compare Old High German grunnizōn to grunt

ˈgrudging adjective

ˈgrudgingly adverb