Crossword Genius

Sounds like a private bitterness (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

rancour

'bitterness' is the definition.
(I know this)

'sounds like a private' is the wordplay.
'sounds like' shows a homophone (sound like).
'a private' becomes 'ranker' (ranker can informally mean a military private).
'ranker' sounds like 'RANCOUR'.

(Other definitions for rancour that I've seen before include "Malicious hostility" , "Hard feelings" , "Bad feeling and resentment" , "Deep-seated enmity" , "Animosity" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.
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