acerb

acerb

adjective \ə-ˈsərb, a-\

Definition of ACERB

: acerbic <acerb humor>

Examples of ACERB

1. <a professor with a rather acerb sense of humor>

Origin of ACERB

French or Latin; French acerbe, from Latin acerbus; akin to Latin acer sharp — more at edge

First Known Use: 1853

Related to ACERB

Synonyms

sarcastic, acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulous, acrid, barbed, biting, caustic, corrosive, cutting, mordant, pungent, sardonic, satiric (or satirical), scalding, scathing, sharp, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, smart-mouthed, snarky, tart

Related Words

brisk, cross, sharp-tongued, sour, sourish, spiky (also spikey), tartish; incisive, keen, poignant, trenchant; cynical, dry, ironic (also ironical), wry; facetious, flippant, tongue-in-cheek; acrimonious, bitter, resentful, vitriolic; harsh, rough, severe, stringent; abrupt, blunt, brusque (also brusk), concise, crisp, curt, gruff, pithy, snippety, snippy, succinct, terse; backhanded, insincere

Near Antonyms

amusing, droll, merry, playful, sportive, waggish; gentle, mild; bland; good-humored, good-natured; diplomatic, polite, smooth, suave, urbane; affable, cordial, genial, gracious, hospitable, sociable

Rhymes with ACERB

adverb, disturb, exurb, perturb, potherb, pro-verb, proverb, reverb, suburb, superb