rub salt in the wound
Meaning
To make someone’s pain, embarrassment, or disappointment worse by reminding them of it or adding insult after harm is done.
Origin
From the literal idea that putting salt on an open wound causes sharp pain; used metaphorically for worsening someone’s emotional or social hurt. The phrase appears in English from at least the 19th century.
Notes
Often critical: implies needless cruelty or insensitivity by worsening someone’s hurt, usually right after a setback. Common in conversational English; used to warn or complain.
Examples
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After I lost the match, my opponent bragging about it really rubbed salt in the wound.
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Telling her "I told you so" right after she got fired just rubs salt in the wound.
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The airline lost my luggage, and then they charged me a fee—talk about rubbing salt in the wound.
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Seeing photos of the party I wasn’t invited to rubbed salt in the wound.
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He apologized, but then he laughed about my mistake, which only rubbed salt in the wound.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Fixed core phrase: “rub salt in the wound” (often with “the”). Verb inflects (rubs/rubbed/rubbing). Common frames: “rub salt in the wound by + -ing,” “to rub salt in the wound, …,” “don’t rub salt in the wound.”
Synonyms
- add insult to injury
- twist the knife
- kick someone when they're down
- make matters worse
Antonyms
- ease the pain
- make amends
- console
- comfort