1
as in angry
having or showing deep-seated resentment
a bitter attitude about always having to work on Saturday she's still bitter about how her family treated her so unfairly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
discovering that he had been cut from the crew team was a bitter disappointment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
a bitter wind was stinging the faces of the skiers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in harsh
difficult to endure
a bitter lesson about money and friendship
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in cold
having a low or subnormal temperature
a bitter February day for this part of the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in chilly
uncomfortably cool
a bitter, rainy day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning
a bitter cry of grief
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
had to face the bitter truth about their marriage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of bitter
There've been bitter disagreements, including among some Jewish Americans, about exactly what the definition of antisemitism should cover, and whether certain criticism of Israeli policies and Zionism should be included.
—
Arkansas Online, 27 July 2025
If your plant still produces fruit in late summer as nights get cooler while days are still warm, the cucumbers tend to turn bitter.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2025
The argument turned bitter when Slater’s team reportedly pushed HPE to dispense with two consultants close to the Trump administration, the vocal MAGA legal activist Mike Davis and lawyer Arthur Schwartz, and negotiate directly with the government’s lawyers.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 July 2025
Instead of feeling defeated or bitter, choose to get better.
—Sandra Balogun, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for bitter
Arkansas Online, 27 July 2025
If your plant still produces fruit in late summer as nights get cooler while days are still warm, the cucumbers tend to turn bitter.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2025
The argument turned bitter when Slater’s team reportedly pushed HPE to dispense with two consultants close to the Trump administration, the vocal MAGA legal activist Mike Davis and lawyer Arthur Schwartz, and negotiate directly with the government’s lawyers.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 July 2025
Instead of feeling defeated or bitter, choose to get better.
—Sandra Balogun, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for bitter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bitter
Adjective
-
And recent changes have made some gamblers angry, especially those who play professionally.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
-
William Anderson, a writer who first wrote about Laura at age 16, told Slate in 2016 that Rose was angry at him for saying the books weren’t entirely true.—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The Chinese government can also make diversification painful.—
Steve Banker,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Taking action to speak out against the Israeli government was deeply painful and difficult.—
Rachel Timoner,
New York Daily News,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Its comedy is observational rather than overtly satirical, far less biting than other Judge creations like Idiocracy and Silicon Valley.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
25 July 2025
-
Letterman was a frequent critic of CBS, in a comedic but biting way.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
18 July 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike harsh chemical cleaners or abrasive scrubbers like steel wool, salt effectively tackles grime while remaining safe for both wood and plastic cutting board surfaces.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
3 Aug. 2025
-
As the moon moves through Sagittarius, a harsh reality disturbs your inner peace.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In terms of coffee, try the banana bread cold brew latte, which contains banana, cookie butter and cinnamon cold brew with banana cold foam on top for $6. 5.—
Molly Gregory,
The Courier-Journal,
29 July 2025
-
Patients may exhibit temperature differences between the affected and unaffected limbs (i.e., comparing the right and left feet); the affected limb may be colder or warmer, which can be measured with a thermal camera.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
28 July 2025
Adjective
-
Winters are cooler but pleasant, with daytime temperatures in the 60s or 70s but the evenings can be chilly, so perhaps not the best beach weather.—
Amy Bentley,
Oc Register,
23 July 2025
-
Guests can enjoy the pool or lawn area or warm up by the lobby’s fireplace on rare chilly evenings.—
Mae Hamilton,
AFAR Media,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
The mournful notes of taps echoed through rainy Bronx neighborhood Thursday afternoon as six New York Police Department officers shouldered the casket of one of their own: Officer Didarul Islam.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
31 July 2025
-
This second feature from filmmaker Frederik Louis Hviid is well-paced, tense, lovely to look at, and threaded through with a mournful realism.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
Tribalism can and does spill over into much more unpleasant areas, from basic name-calling to more insidious abuse.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Disruptions in the ratio, like when there’s too much estrogen vs. testosterone, can cause unpleasant symptoms like weight gain, mood swings, and fatigue.—
Caitlin Pagán,
Verywell Health,
1 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bitter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bitter. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share