Resent vs. Resend
“Resent” means to feel anger or displeasure about something, while “resend” means to send a message, email, or other item again. The words can look confusing in unaccented text, but they have different meanings and pronunciations.
Use “resent” for a feeling of anger or unfair treatment; use “resend” when something is sent again.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning needed | Use | Fast check |
|---|---|---|
| Feel anger, bitterness, or displeasure about something | resent | If “feel angry about” fits, use “resent.” |
| Send a message, file, or item again | resend | If “send again” fits, use “resend.” |
Quick tests
Meaning substitution test
Can the word be replaced by “feel angry about” without changing the intended meaning?
If yes: Use “resent.”
If no: If the intended meaning is “send again,” use “resend.”
Caveat: The spellings are close, so rely on meaning rather than visual similarity.
Examples
I resent the suggestion that the delay was intentional.
“Resent” expresses displeasure about the suggestion.
Please resend the attachment; it did not arrive.
“Resend” means to send the attachment again.
Please resent the attachment.
Better: Please resend the attachment.
The sentence needs the verb meaning “send again.”
Further guidance
Hyphen Boundary
The reviewed dictionary entry uses the closed verb “resend”; a writer may add clarifying wording rather than rely on a nonstandard spacing to distinguish it from resent.
Meaning Test
If the sentence is about anger or unfair treatment, choose “resent.”
Repeat Action
If the sentence means “send again,” choose “resend.”
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Resent — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Dictionary record for resent meaning to feel anger or displeasure
- Resend — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Dictionary record for resend meaning to send again