acrid

adjective

ac·​rid ˈa-krəd 

1

: sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor : irritating

acrid smoke

2

: deeply or violently bitter : acrimonious

an acrid denunciation

acridity

a-ˈkri-də-tē 

ə-

noun

acridly

ˈa-krəd-lē 

adverb

acridness noun

Did you know?

Acrid exactly fits the smoke from a fire—a burning building or forest, for example. Dense smog may cast an acrid pall over a city, making throats burn and eyes sting. But, like acid and acerbic, acrid sometimes also describes nonphysical things, such as the remarks of a bitter person.

Synonyms

• acrimonious
• bitter
• embittered
• hard
• rancorous
• resentful
• sore

Choose the Right Synonym for acrid

caustic, mordant, acrid, scathing mean stingingly incisive.

caustic suggests a biting wit.

caustic comments

mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.

mordant reviews of the play

acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence.

acrid invective

scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity.

a scathing satire

Examples of acrid in a Sentence

Thick, acrid smoke rose from the factory.

there have been acrid relations between the two families ever since they fought over that strip of land

Recent Examples on the Web

What can a gracious and caring host do to avoid a polarizing food fight and acrid debate? —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024

Even its name conjures up memories of bitter, acrid coffee that tastes too thin and too thick all at once. —Jaina Grey, WIRED, 25 June 2024

Ivan disappears in a panic, leaving no more trace than an acrid wisp of tire-burn smoke. —Tom Gliatto, People.com, 17 Oct. 2024

And the acrid smell of petroleum polluted the coastline’s air. —Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin ācr-, ācer "sharp, pungent, biting" + the English formative -id (as in acid entry 2); replacing acrious, from Latin ācer + -ious — more at acr-

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

acrid

adjective

ac·​rid ˈak-rəd 

1

: biting or bitter in taste or odor

2

: bitterly irritating to the feelings

an acrid remark

acridly adverb

acridness noun

Medical Definition

acrid

adjective

ac·​rid ˈak-rəd 

: irritatingly sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor

acridly adverb