rubbed salt in someone's wounds

A form of rub salt in someone's wounds — To make a painful situation even worse (even with the best of intentions).

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Meanings

verb
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of rub salt in someone's wounds
Cite this entry
APA

rubbed salt in someone's wounds. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rubbed%20salt%20in%20someone's%20wounds

MLA

“rubbed salt in someone's wounds.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rubbed%20salt%20in%20someone's%20wounds. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rubbed salt in someone's wounds,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rubbed%20salt%20in%20someone's%20wounds.

Source: rubbed salt in someone's wounds on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.