acrimony

noun

ac·​ri·​mo·​ny ˈa-krə-ˌmō-nē 

plural acrimonies

: anger and bitterness : harsh or biting sharpness especially of words, manner, or feelings

The dispute continued with increased acrimony.

Synonyms

• acidity
• acidness
• acridity
• acridness
• asperity
• bile
• bitterness
• cattiness
• corrosiveness
• mordancy
• tartness
• virulence
• virulency
• vitriol

Examples of acrimony in a Sentence

The dispute began again with increased acrimony.

she responded with such acrimony that he never brought the subject up again

Recent Examples on the Web

His stints in Chicago, Minnesota, Philadelphia, and now Miami have all ended with varying degrees of acrimony. —Brian Sampson, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025

The acrimony over the H-1B in recent days spiraled after far-right activist Laura Loomer attacked H-1B as a threat to American workers and national security. —Don Lee, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2024

In the telling of diplomat and Carter advisor Stuart Eizenstat, acrimony grew to the point that Begin was angrily packing his bags to leave — when a simple and heartfelt gesture stayed his hand. —Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025

Although the two court rulings were only preliminary injunctions, not final judgments, there's no reason to think the merger will revive, given the acrimony arising from the merger, Ross said. —Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French acrimonie, borrowed from Latin ācrimōnia, from ācr-, ācer "sharp, biting, keen" + -mōnia, suffix of abstract nouns (going back to the Indo-European noun-forming suffix *-mĕ̄n-/*-mŏ̄n- + the abstract noun formative *-i-) — more at acr-

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

acrimony

noun

ac·​ri·​mo·​ny ˈak-rə-ˌmō-nē 

plural acrimonies

: harsh or biting sharpness especially of words, manner, or disposition

acrimonious

ˌak-rə-ˈmō-nē-əs

adjective

acrimoniously adverb

acrimoniousness noun