Phrase guide

rub salt in someone's wounds

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To make a painful situation even worse (even with the best of intentions).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • John already feels guilty for what he did to you. Don't rub salt into his wounds.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From the practice of using salt to inhibit infection of open wounds.