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
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
4
: an elaborate confidence game
specifically
: such a game worked by undercover police in order to trap criminals
Synonyms
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
Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
The Security Council defeat was especially stinging for the Biden administration.
—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
That stinging feeling in your eyes serves a purpose for onions, said Dr. Abbey Thiel, a food scientist and host of the YouTube channel Abbey the Food Scientist.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024
These remarkable arms, devoid of stinging tentacles, are adept at enveloping prey such as plankton and small fish in depths up to 22,000 feet.
—Anna Nordseth, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
His pride had been stung, but not enough to malign a good customer.
—Penelope Green, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
The departure of defensive lineman Christian Wilkins and right guard Robert Hunt, among others, will sting but the Dolphins weren’t in a position to give them top-of-the-market deals.
—Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2024
Also fetching are mussels, stinging with serrano, gathered under a cover of sliced cucumbers and bright pomegranate seeds — an unforgettable aguachile.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Mosquito hawks, also known as crane flies, do not sting or bite people.
—The Arizona Republic, 12 Mar. 2024
Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
Cons The product stings and results in a little redness at first, but that subsides after a few minutes.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 25 Mar. 2024
Without feeling the usual sting in their eyes, people are exposed to harmful rays for a longer period, Deobhakta said.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
Other than food, common allergen culprits that can lead to anaphylaxis are insect stings, latex, and medicines, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
—Alexis Berger, SELF, 22 Mar. 2024
The blue dragon sea slug could be an adorable visitor for spring break beachgoers — but touching them results in a painful sting.
—Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2024
The price points take the sting out of the clatter.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
Many Republicans are simply not on board with the idea, still feeling the sting of the weeks-long, arduous process to elect a new speaker of the House that froze the lower chamber last year.
—Melissa Cruz, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024
Ever since, my mother and two older sisters and I have felt the persistent sting and lingering dimness of her absence.
—Lauren Depino, NPR, 28 Mar. 2024
Verb
But their hairs, which are known as stinging hairs, are irritating and can cause rashes or make your skin feel like its burning and itchy.
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
The Security Council defeat was especially stinging for the Biden administration.
—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2024
That stinging feeling in your eyes serves a purpose for onions, said Dr. Abbey Thiel, a food scientist and host of the YouTube channel Abbey the Food Scientist.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024
These remarkable arms, devoid of stinging tentacles, are adept at enveloping prey such as plankton and small fish in depths up to 22,000 feet.
—Anna Nordseth, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2024
His pride had been stung, but not enough to malign a good customer.
—Penelope Green, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024
The departure of defensive lineman Christian Wilkins and right guard Robert Hunt, among others, will sting but the Dolphins weren’t in a position to give them top-of-the-market deals.
—Daniel Oyefusi, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2024
Also fetching are mussels, stinging with serrano, gathered under a cover of sliced cucumbers and bright pomegranate seeds — an unforgettable aguachile.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Mosquito hawks, also known as crane flies, do not sting or bite people.
—The Arizona Republic, 12 Mar. 2024
Noun
After the year-long sting operation, Rocha was arrested in December.
—Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2024
Cons The product stings and results in a little redness at first, but that subsides after a few minutes.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 25 Mar. 2024
Without feeling the usual sting in their eyes, people are exposed to harmful rays for a longer period, Deobhakta said.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
Other than food, common allergen culprits that can lead to anaphylaxis are insect stings, latex, and medicines, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
—Alexis Berger, SELF, 22 Mar. 2024
The blue dragon sea slug could be an adorable visitor for spring break beachgoers — but touching them results in a painful sting.
—Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 11 Mar. 2024
The price points take the sting out of the clatter.
—Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
Many Republicans are simply not on board with the idea, still feeling the sting of the weeks-long, arduous process to elect a new speaker of the House that froze the lower chamber last year.
—Melissa Cruz, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024
Ever since, my mother and two older sisters and I have felt the persistent sting and lingering dimness of her absence.
—Lauren Depino, NPR, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sting.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Old English stingan; akin to Old Norse stinga to sting and probably to Greek stachys spike of grain, stochos target, aim
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of sting was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing sting
Dictionary Entries Near sting
Cite this Entry
“Sting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sting. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids 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
Legal Definition
sting
noun
: an elaborate confidence game
specifically
: such a game worked by undercover police in order to catch criminals
More from Merriam-Webster on sting
Nglish: Translation of sting for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of sting for Arabic Speakers
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