have a chip on your shoulder

Idiomatic Expressions

Meaning

Hold a grudge or feel inferior, leading to confrontational attitude.

Primary Function

Resentment description.

Communicative Purpose

To explain someone’s defensive or aggressive behaviour.

Pattern

have a chip on; shoulder

Core Structure

have a chip on; shoulder

Função primária

Resentment description.

Propósito comunicativo

To explain someone’s defensive or aggressive behaviour.

Situações de gatilho

Perceived injustices, rivalry, past slights.

Contextos

Workplace, social.

Padrão

have a chip on; shoulder

Estrutura central

have a chip on; shoulder

Slots de substituição

possessive pronoun: your, his, her

Colocados típicos

always
seems to
clearly

Substituições comuns

have a bone to pick (focuses on a specific grievance)

Erros comuns

omitting 'a' — e.g., *chip on the shoulder*

Similar / contraste

bear a grudge

Interferências

Not about snacks.

Família do chunk

Resentment idioms

Nuance

Negative, accusatory

Efeito pragmático

Suggests someone is looking for a fight

Dica de memória

Boy with wood chip on shoulder daring others to knock it off

Nota

This idiom is often used to describe someone who is easily offended or defensive due to past experiences.

Upgrade path

harbour a persistent sense of grievance (formal)

Frequência: MediumFormulaicidade: Semi-fixedTipo de construção: IdiomPrioridade de aquisição: UnknownPrioridade de output: BothTag de espaçamento: Long-termIdioma?: Sim

Examples

He always seems to have a chip on his shoulder after losing an argument at work.

She never lets anything go; she has a clear chip on the shoulder from her childhood rivalries.

Because he felt slighted by a promotion decision, John often displays a chip on his shoulder toward colleagues who succeed.

Variations

chip on the shoulder (as noun)