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

… 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

… the credits offer two stingers, one points the way toward a new comic franchise, another includes an escaped space monster.

—D. J. Palladino

Synonyms of stinger

• punch
• blow
• slap
• thump
• thud
• hit
• swipe
• stroke
• pound
• knock
• smack
• whack
• poke
• clip
• lick
• spank
• hook
• bang
• welt

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

The authors of this latest paper sought to capture the venom-pumping kinematics of honey bee stingers in order to identify the underlying biomechanics. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 Oct. 2026

In a process known as autotomy, the assailing bee leaves its stinger operating independently, driven by its own muscles, various glands, neural ganglia, and a venom sac. — Mike McRae 12, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026

He was cleared of a concussion, returned, sustained a stinger, returned to the game again, then sustained another stinger and left for good. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026

Luostarinen was shaken up on a cross-check from Clarke, sustaining a stinger, but was able to return to the game. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for stinger

• bringer
• clinger
• dinger
• inger
• ringer
• slinger
• springer
• stringer
• winger
• wringer

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