acerb

adjective

ə-ˈsərb How to pronounce acerb (audio)
Definition of acerbnext
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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acerb
  1. sarcastic
  2. satiric
  3. acid
  4. acidic
  5. barbed
  6. acerbic
Adjective
  • As the group grows, so do the number of sarcastic or unserious posts and comments within it.
    Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
  • His gibes at China on X were often aggressive and sarcastic.
    Motoko Rich, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2024
Definition of sarcastic
Adjective
  • The show isn't satiric so much as amused by the absurd lengths to which the Kaylas of our society will go in pursuit of self-definition.
    Tom Gliatto, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Mann at his most satiric has Settembrini contributing an essay to a multivolume project whose purpose is to end suffering.
    George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of satiric
Adjective
  • Since azaleas are acid soil-loving plants, pine needles, aged pine bark, or leaf mold are ideal mulches.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Last year, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality fined Intel for failing to control air emissions of acid gases at its Hillsboro chip production facility.
    Arlene Blum, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Definition of acid
Adjective
  • Although small quantities of citrus aren’t likely to do damage, placing large amounts of citrus in worm bins can make bins too acidic for red wigglers.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Dec. 2024
  • The acidic stream will be neutralized or shipped out, and the basic stream will be released into the ocean.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Dec. 2024
Definition of acidic
Adjective
  • The tortoises live in a sheltered habitat ringed by barbed wire and draped in netting.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2024
  • Middle Tennessee actor talks near-death experience Flying into a barbed wire fence at 11.
    Rosalind Bowling, The Tennessean, 19 Dec. 2024
Definition of barbed
Adjective
  • Resurrecting a Radical Artist: Forty years after his death, the Californian activist Peter Carr gets a revival of his acerbic paintings and drawings.
    New York Times, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024
  • These appearances, full of her acerbic humor, gave us a glimpse of the real Smith, as well the special feeling that there was an element of herself in every performance.
    David Mack, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2024
Definition of acerbic
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near acerb

acequias

acerb

acerbic

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Acerb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerb. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of acerb for Spanish Speakers

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