The term is frequently used in professional, academic, or political contexts to describe resistance to authority, criticism, or bureaucracy:

: Legislators may bridle at what they see as judicial overreach or "encroachment" on their powers.

: Young professionals often bridle at slow, circuitous decision-making paths or excessive "red tape" in large organizations.

The phrase is a vivid idiom that describes a reaction of resentment, annoyance, or prideful offense toward something perceived as restrictive or insulting. Meaning and Origin