What does "dudgeon" mean?
A feeling of anger or resentment, especially haughty indignation.
Dudgeon
/ˈdʌd͡ʒən/ name, noun
name, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A feeling of anger or resentment, especially haughty indignation.
- Grammar: dudgeon is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: anger, anger, bayonet, dagger.
- Useful contrasts: calm, cheerfulness, composure.
- Usage evidence: Tom left in high dudgeon and disgust.
How to use "dudgeon"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dudgeon" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dudgeon" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "dudgeon" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dudgeon" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dudgeon" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "anger" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dudgeon", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A feeling of anger or resentment, especially haughty indignation. uncountable
"All gentle folks who owe a grudge / To any living thing, / Open your ears and stay your trudge / Whilst I in dudgeon sing."
- 2 A kind of wood used especially in the handles of knives; the root of the box tree. obsolete
"Turners and Cutlers, if I mistake not the matter, doe call this wood Dudgeon, wherewith they make Dudgeon hafted daggers."
- 3 a feeling of intense indignation (now used only in the phrase ‘in high dudgeon’) wordnet
- 4 A hilt made of this wood. obsolete
"And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood"
- 5 A dagger which has a dudgeon hilt. archaic
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Antonyms
Example
"Tom left in high dudgeon and disgust."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dudgeon"?
Common synonyms include: anger, anger, bayonet, dagger, displeasure, ferment.
How do you use "dudgeon" in a sentence?
Tom left in high dudgeon and disgust.
How do you pronounce "dudgeon"?
Pronounced /ˈdʌd͡ʒən/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Uncertain: * Perhaps the same as Etymology 2, below * Perhaps from Welsh dygen (“anger, grudge”) (from dy- + cwyn (“complaint”)), though the OED rejects this. * Possibly from dudgen (“trash, something worthless”). * Possibly borrowed from Italian aduggiare (“to overshadow”), similar to the semantic development of umbrage.
Etymology 2
From Middle English dogeon, apparently from Anglo-Norman or Middle French, but the ultimate origin is obscure. Compare French douve (“stave”).
Etymology 3
English and Scottish surname, perhaps related to the noun dudgeon (sense 1) (“kind of wood used in a hilt”). Or, from a diminutive of Dodge.