1
as in bitterness
biting sharpness of feeling or expression
a film critic noted for the vitriol and sometimes outright cruelty of his pronouncements
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abuse
harsh insulting language
the review was more than just unfavorable—it was loaded with vitriol
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vitriol
The level of vitriol between the two fan bases, particularly online, is absolutely on par with some of the league’s best rivalries.
—
Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
Rather than being universally shouted down when those anti-Israel sentiments quickly morphed into anti-Jewish vitriol, they were tolerated, ignored and even celebrated on college campuses, in social media chatrooms and in the halls of Congress.
—Nolan Finley, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
The vitriol reminded him of Germany in the years before 1933.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Muslim American leaders view the vitriol as election-year scaremongering — more intense now than in recent campaign seasons.
—Luis Andres Henao, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vitriol
Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 18 Mar. 2026
Rather than being universally shouted down when those anti-Israel sentiments quickly morphed into anti-Jewish vitriol, they were tolerated, ignored and even celebrated on college campuses, in social media chatrooms and in the halls of Congress.
—Nolan Finley, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2026
The vitriol reminded him of Germany in the years before 1933.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
Muslim American leaders view the vitriol as election-year scaremongering — more intense now than in recent campaign seasons.
—Luis Andres Henao, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vitriol
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vitriol
Noun
-
For example, maror, or bitter herbs, represent the bitterness of slavery.—
Lucia Cheng,
Des Moines Register,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The rest of the band joins in as Ayewa calls for the listener to look up to a world above war, bitterness, and division.—
Steve Donofrio,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
King, who is in his early fifties, is a former marine, a motivational speaker, and a mental-health and substance-abuse professional.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Payments will be based on severity and duration of the abuse, the level of cooperation with investigators and other factors, records show.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Iran war has entered its fifth week with hostilities escalating across the region.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
-
After all, a bit more than a decade later, hostilities would explode anew in the Arab-Israeli War of 1967, during which Nasser shut the canal again.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some of those pushing anti-Jewish invective on the right are opportunists.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2026
-
After years of inflammatory social-media posts and antisemitic invective, Kanye West has taken out a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal that traces his erratic behavior to his 2002 car crash.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Mclusky were always rooted more in bile than hormones, contempt and wit over quick-burn idealism.—
Alex Robert Ross,
Pitchfork,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Dolphins great and media star Jim Mandich suffered from bile-duct cancer in 2010.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Laughs and insults, all expressed at a high volume, were guaranteed to follow.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The fan repeatedly shouted insults at Punk while pledging allegiance to Reigns.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Orkin's bed bug treatment methods may include targeted applications, heat treatments or a combination of strategies, depending on the severity.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The department said the driver's seat was the only part of the car that remained intact, but despite the severity of the crash, the driver suffered only minor injuries.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Flash forward 92-plus years to Donald Trump’s rally Sunday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a bleak, lurid festival of racist hate and profane vituperation so vile that even fellow Republicans, who have turned a blind eye to Trump’s character for years, are distancing themselves from the event.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Oct. 2024
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The politicization of the COVID response has only worsened this trend, likely resulting in part from Trump’s vituperation.—
Matt Motta,
Scientific American,
29 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Vitriol.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vitriol. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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