1
: to prick painfully: such as
a
: to pierce or wound with a poisonous or irritating process
b
: to affect with sharp quick pain or smart
hail stung their faces
2
: to cause to suffer acutely
stung with remorse
3
: overcharge, cheat
got stung on that deal
1
: to wound one with or as if with a sting
2
: to feel a keen burning pain or smart
also
: to cause such pain
1
2
3
: a sharp or stinging element, force, or quality
The hiring manager's kind words took some of the sting out of being rejected for the job.
4
: an elaborate confidence game
specifically
: such a game worked by undercover police in order to trap criminals
Examples of sting in a Sentence
Verb
I got stung by a bee.
The jellyfish stung the swimmer.
The bees will sting if you bother them.
The iodine will sting for a few minutes.
The cold rain stung my eyes.
The smoke made our eyes sting.
She was stung by their harsh criticism.
Noun
When you get the shot, you'll feel a little sting.
His arm was covered with bee stings.
They were caught in a drug sting.
a sting operation by police
Recent Examples on the Web
Kansas City Star, 14 Nov. 2025
The catalogue of negatives is rather long at the moment, from a slow start and injury to the team’s best player, to major drop-offs in defending and goaltending, to a punch-less power play, to injuries and front-office decision making that’s stung.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025
Christina Pérez, Vogue, 15 Nov. 2025
The sweet, sweet return of these drinks might help soothe the sting of missing out on the Bearista Cup chaos that happened in early November.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sting
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Verb
The idea of swarms of stinging insects may have once sent nearby residents hurrying indoors.
—Kansas City Star, 14 Nov. 2025
The catalogue of negatives is rather long at the moment, from a slow start and injury to the team’s best player, to major drop-offs in defending and goaltending, to a punch-less power play, to injuries and front-office decision making that’s stung.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025
Noun
No matter how kind the delivery, rejection stings.
—Christina Pérez, Vogue, 15 Nov. 2025
The sweet, sweet return of these drinks might help soothe the sting of missing out on the Bearista Cup chaos that happened in early November.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sting
Cite this Entry
“Sting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sting. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sting
1 of 2 verb1
a
: to prick painfully especially with a sharp or poisonous stinger
stung by a bee
b
: to affect with or feel quick piercing pain or smart
hail stung their faces
2
: to cause to suffer mentally
stung with regret
3
: overcharge sense 1, cheat
got stung on the deal
4
: to use a stinger
bees sting
sting
2 of 2 noun1
a
: the act of stinging
b
: a wound or pain caused by or as if by stinging
2
stingless
adjective
ˈstiŋ-ləs
Medical Definition
sting
1 of 2 verb
: to prick painfully: as
a
: to pierce or wound with a poisonous or irritating process
b
: to affect with sharp quick pain
: to feel or cause a keen burning pain or smart
the injection stung
sting
2 of 2 noun1
2
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