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
By bowing down, Doggett, 78, is avoiding a potentially bitter primary confrontation with 36-year-old Rep. Greg Casar, another Texas Democrat representing parts of Austin.
—
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
Gone are the days when instant was synonymous with weak coffee, bitter and astringent, and mainly made with Robusta beans instead of the preferred arabica.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2025
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres are involved in one of the more bitter rivalries in baseball.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025
Drag slider compare photos Before After Bakhmut After months of bitter clashes since July 2022, the Donetsk city of Bakhmut, north of Avdiivka, fell to Russian forces in May 2023.
—Ellie Cook
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bitter
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 23 Aug. 2025
Gone are the days when instant was synonymous with weak coffee, bitter and astringent, and mainly made with Robusta beans instead of the preferred arabica.
—Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 21 Aug. 2025
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres are involved in one of the more bitter rivalries in baseball.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025
Drag slider compare photos Before After Bakhmut After months of bitter clashes since July 2022, the Donetsk city of Bakhmut, north of Avdiivka, fell to Russian forces in May 2023.
—Ellie Cook
john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bitter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bitter
Adjective
-
Freed of her caring duties, angry and uncertain about her future Karl gets on a Greyhound bus and heads to Las Vegas where Jean is working as a waitress at the El Cortez.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Aug. 2025
-
The family defended themselves against an angry mob of hundreds of people who surrounded the house, throwing rocks and threatening the family, Duggan said.—
Dana Afana,
Freep.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
There was also a subplot about Derek going through a painful divorce.—
Rob Reiner,
New Yorker,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The trailing tentacles can deliver a painful sting, which Pace says feels more like that of a bee than a nettle.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The socially biting comedy comes out at a time of political unrest in Argentina under Javier Milei’s presidency, a government marked by several funding cuts to culture.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
6 Aug. 2025
-
No one mentioned the annoying swarms of tiny biting midges that plague Scotland’s west coast in the summer.—
Angus MacKinnon,
CNN Money,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Our test vehicle was also equipped with the aforementioned Precision Package, and while the suspension tuning is noticeably firmer than that of the standard Blackwing, its ride quality still isn’t as harsh as the latest M5 around town and out on the highway.—
Bradley Iger,
Robb Report,
27 Aug. 2025
-
The move to question Europe’s harsh CO2 curtailment rules coincides with Trump Administration efforts to terminate rules based on the case that CO2 is a danger to public health These rules form the basis for U.S. greenhouse gas regulations.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The former includes espresso, americano, cappucino, latte, chaga mocha, cold brew and drip coffee.—
Endia Fontanez,
AZCentral.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Coco Cold Brew tops coconut water over ice with cold brew foam.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The fashion statement of the rangy frontman served a more practical purpose when three-fourths through the two-hour show, a torrent of wind whipped through the stadium, bringing with it a chilly downpour that would last the duration of the concert.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Paul Hollywood was presumably in his dressing room, putting on a crisp oxford shirt in a shade of blue meant to make his eyes pop—a vivid cerulean, a chilly Arctic sky, or, occasionally, a fuller, velvety navy just across the color wheel from his tan.—
Ruby Tandoh,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The backstory for the maze follows the mournful tale of Mary Worth following the tragic death of her family.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Soon she’s caught up in a supernatural murder mystery involving fatally beaky crows; dealing with an obsessive, disturbingly round-eyed fan (Evie Templeton); and bickering with mother Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones, who tends to strike a quiet note that seems almost genuinely mournful).—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
A couple who had moved into a new apartment a couple of hours earlier got an unpleasant surprise after returning from a celebratory dinner.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Why Connection Counts Feeling cut off is more than unpleasant.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bitter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bitter. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share