1
: to prick painfully: such as
a
: to pierce or wound with a poisonous or irritating process
b
: to affect with sharp quick pain or smart
hail stung their faces
2
: to cause to suffer acutely
stung with remorse
3
: overcharge, cheat
1
: to wound one with or as if with a sting
2
: to feel a keen burning pain or smart
also
: to cause such pain
1
2
3
: a sharp or stinging element, force, or quality
4
: an elaborate confidence game
specifically
: such a game worked by undercover police in order to trap criminals
Examples of sting in a Sentence
Verb
I got stung by a bee.
The jellyfish stung the swimmer.
The bees will sting if you bother them.
The iodine will sting for a few minutes.
The cold rain stung my eyes.
The smoke made our eyes sting.
She was stung by their harsh criticism.
Noun
When you get the shot, you'll feel a little sting.
His arm was covered with bee stings.
They were caught in a drug sting.
a sting operation by police
Recent Examples on the Web
Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Choosing Slotkin—a moderate who won Michigan's Senate race in November even as Trump carried the state—to deliver the Democratic response may signal a party shift after last year's stinging losses in the general election.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
Greg Wehner, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2025
The effects of a state championship At the end of a state championship game for any sport, there are two staples: The winner with tears of joy and the loser enduring the sting of defeat.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sting
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Sea anemones provide anemonefish with shelter and a secure spawning site thanks to their stinging tentacles.
—Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Choosing Slotkin—a moderate who won Michigan's Senate race in November even as Trump carried the state—to deliver the Democratic response may signal a party shift after last year's stinging losses in the general election.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
The woman was then taken to a local hospital where she was treated for the sting.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2025
The effects of a state championship At the end of a state championship game for any sport, there are two staples: The winner with tears of joy and the loser enduring the sting of defeat.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sting
Cite this Entry
“Sting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sting. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sting
1 of 2 verb1
a
: to prick painfully especially with a sharp or poisonous stinger
stung by a bee
b
: to affect with or feel quick piercing pain or smart
hail stung their faces
2
: to cause to suffer mentally
stung with regret
3
: overcharge sense 1, cheat
got stung on the deal
4
: to use a stinger
bees sting
sting
2 of 2 noun1
a
: the act of stinging
b
: a wound or pain caused by or as if by stinging
2
stingless
adjective
ˈstiŋ-ləs
Medical Definition
sting
1 of 2 verb
: to prick painfully: as
a
: to pierce or wound with a poisonous or irritating process
b
: to affect with sharp quick pain
: to feel or cause a keen burning pain or smart
the injection stung
sting
2 of 2 noun1
2
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