Entry Word: acrimony

Function: noun

Meaning: 1 biting sharpness of feeling or expression <she responded with such acrimony that he never brought the subject up again>

Synonyms acidity, acidness, acridness, asperity, bitterness, cattiness, tartness, virulence, vitriol

Related Words gruffness, harshness, hostility, relentlessness, severity, sternness, vehemence; coldness, crossness, discourteousness, iciness, impoliteness, incivility, nastiness, rudeness, sourness, surliness, ungraciousness; anger, animosity, bile, jaundice, malevolence, malice, rancor, scorn, spite, spleen, venom; jealousy, pique, resentment

Near Antonyms civility, cordiality, courtesy, diplomacy, geniality, graciousness, politeness, tactfulness; compassion, softness, sweetness, sympathy, tenderness, warmth; oiliness, smoothness, suaveness, unctuousness, urbanity

2 a harsh or sharp quality <the acrimony of his parting words shocked everyone> — see edge 1