have a chip on your shoulder
Meaning
To feel resentful or defensive because of a perceived past insult or unfair treatment.
Origin
From a 19th‑century custom in which someone placed a chip of wood on their shoulder and dared others to knock it off, provoking a fight; it became a metaphor for looking for offense.
Notes
Usually negative: suggests someone is touchy, resentful, and quick to take offense, often due to a perceived slight or injustice.
Examples
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Ever since he got passed over for promotion, he’s had a chip on his shoulder at work.
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If you go into the meeting with a chip on your shoulder, people will get defensive.
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She doesn’t have a chip on her shoulder anymore; she’s made peace with what happened.
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He always seems to have a chip on his shoulder about where he grew up.
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Try not to have a chip on your shoulder—most people aren’t out to insult you.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Typically used as “have/has/had a chip on (his/her/your/their) shoulder.” Article “a” is fixed; often appears in negative (“doesn’t have a chip…”) or with “about + noun” (e.g., “about his background”).
Synonyms
- be resentful
- be defensive
- have a grievance
- have a grudge
Antonyms
- be easygoing
- let it go
- be thick-skinned