stinger

noun

sting·​er ˈstiŋ-ər 

plural stingers

1

: one that stings

specifically : a sharp blow or remark

2

: a sharp organ (as of a bee, scorpion, or stingray) that is usually connected with a poison gland or otherwise adapted to wound by piercing and injecting a poison

3

: a cocktail usually consisting of brandy and white crème de menthe

4

medical : a usually sports-related injury of the brachial plexus marked by a painful burning sensation that radiates from the neck down the arm and is often accompanied by weakness or numbness of the affected area

Arrington had missed the second quarter with a concussion and a stinger that left him, momentarily, without feeling in his left arm.

—Peter King

called also burner

5

: a short scene that appears during or after the closing credits of a movie or TV program

And don't walk out of said theater too fast either; the credits offer two stingers, one points the way toward a new comic franchise, another includes an escaped space monster.

—D. J. Palladino

Synonyms

• bang
• bash
• bat
• beat
• belt
• biff
• blow
• bop
• box
• buffet
• bust
• chop
• clap
• clip
• clout
• crack
• cuff
• dab
• douse [British]
• fillip
• hack
• haymaker
• hit
• hook
• knock
• larrup [dialect]
• lash
• lick
• pelt
• pick
• plump
• poke
• pound
• punch
• rap
• slam
• slap
• slug
• smack
• smash
• sock
• spank
• stripe
• stroke
• swat
• swipe
• switch
• thud
• thump
• thwack
• wallop
• welt
• whack
• wham
• whop
• whap

Examples of stinger in a Sentence

the stinger of a bee

in the eighth round he delivered a stinger that knocked his opponent flat

Recent Examples on the Web

If a person was stung by a bee, attempt to scrape the stinger off the skin to remove it. —Carrie Madormo, Rn, Health, 19 Oct. 2024

The room should feel creaky, sticky with spilled vodka stingers; the walls should thrum with the ghosts of chanteuses past. —The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2024

Remove the stinger promptly, apply ice to reduce pain and swelling, and use anti-itch creams to relieve itching. Symptoms such as difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat and swelling of the face or throat indicate the need for medical care. —Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 25 Sep. 2024

Tarantula hawk stingers generally do not get stuck in the skin like honeybee stingers do. —Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 13 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

stinger

noun

sting·​er ˈstiŋ-ər 

1

: one that stings

especially : a piercing blow or remark

2

: a sharp organ of some animals (as bees or scorpions) that is used to wound, paralyze, or kill prey or an enemy by piercing and injecting a poisonous fluid

Medical Definition

stinger

noun

sting·​er ˈstiŋ-ər 

1

: a sharp organ (as of a wasp, bee, scorpion, or stingray) that is usually connected with a poison gland or otherwise adapted to wound by piercing and injecting a poison

2

: a usually sports-related injury of the brachial plexus marked by a painful burning sensation that radiates from the neck down the arm and is often accompanied by weakness or numbness of the affected area

called also burner