as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
a professor with a rather acerb sense of humor
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acerb
Adjective
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Seinfeld is a Jewish man from New York’s Long Island with a wry and sarcastic sense of humor.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Feb. 2025 -
Others lose a sense of trust by the sarcastic digs, eye rolls, interrupting, or belittling.—
Rachel Glik, Contributor,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Misery, a horror movie with a satiric streak, launched Bates’s film stardom.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
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The real star of the show, though, is not the satiric script or the campy performances, but rather how each character brings their own unique approach to dressing for the corporate ladder.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Black dragons are the ultimate swamp monsters that shoot an acid breath attack.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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The missing link between a so-so dish and a stellar one is often acid.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The minerals transformed into alkaline magnesium oxide and calcium silicate, both of which react quickly with acidic CO2 in the air.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Mar. 2025
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And in some of his greatest on-screen work ever, Hackman depicted the resentful, acidic patriarch in the Wes Anderson dramedy The Royal Tenenbaums.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Mengistu, a member of Israel's Ethiopian minority, entered the territory by crossing a barbed wire fence into Gaza.—
ASSOCIATED PRESS,
TIME,
22 Feb. 2025
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All pennies will henceforth be exiled to Guantanamo to live out their lives as former currency in orange jumpsuits, behind barbed wire, only inches from the best beaches ever.—
Barry Scott Zellen,
Hartford Courant,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Simmons won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, Golden Globe and SAG Award for his turn as an acerbic music professor in 2014’s Whiplash.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
24 Feb. 2025
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Trump’s acerbic remarks also come after Zelenskyy accused him of falling for Russian disinformation.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2025
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“Acerb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerb. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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