acrid

play

adjective ac·rid \ ˈa-krəd \

Definition of acrid

1 :sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor :irritating

acrid smoke

2 :deeply or violently bitter :acrimonious

an acrid denunciation

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acridity

play \a-ˈkri-də-tē, ə-\ noun

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acridly

play \ˈa-krəd-lē\ adverb

—

acridness

noun

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Examples of acrid in a Sentence

Thick, acrid smoke rose from the factory.
there have been acrid relations between the two families ever since they fought over that strip of land

Recent Examples of acrid from the Web

Unlike the rest of the acrid, insult-slinging sociopaths that populate the show, Catherine has a genuine sweetness to her, making her the emotional center of a show that often does little to humanize its characters.

— anna silman, The Cut, "Veep’s Secret Weapon," 29 Aug. 2017
Mixed drinks were all the rage at speakeasies because the syrups, bitters, tinctures and liqueurs masked the acrid taste of the moonshine and bathtub gin, Volkening said.

— pam kragen, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Speakeasy reclaims its secret space in Carlsbad," 7 July 2017
Southern California woke to the acrid smell of smoke and ash Thursday morning as additional wildfires broke out along the edges of the Los Angeles Basin and Orange County coastline.

— joseph serna, latimes.com, "Southern California is blanketed by the smell of wildfires; here's the latest.," 29 June 2017
On a recent morning, the acrid smell of burning methamphetamine — or shabu, as Filipinos call it — wafted through a remote corner of the cemetery.

— photographs and text by adam dean, New York Times, "Hard Life Among the Dead in the Philippines," 25 June 2017
Acrid smoke could be smelled more than a mile away.

— faiz siddiqui, Washington Post, "Body discovered at site of massive apartment blaze in Northwest," 25 June 2017
Mark Kelly, Giffords' husband, told CNN's Jake Tapper on Wednesday that acrid political rhetoric had consequences but change was not impossible.

— stephen collinson, CNN, "After the game, can the good feelings last?," 16 June 2017
Huge chunks of the aluminium composite material (ACM) blistered and peeled off the tower during Wednesday’s inferno, showering survivors and rescue workers in acrid ash that covered a radius of several blocks.

— alastair jamieson, NBC News, "London Fire: Anger Grows at Regulations, Funding Cuts After Deadly Blaze," 16 June 2017
Acrid and nauseating, the chlorine scent always overcame the delicious smells of whatever had been cooked that night.

— amiel stanek, Bon Appetit, "A D.I.Y. Kitchen Cleaner That Actually Works," 17 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'acrid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Acrid exactly fits the smoke from a fire—a burning building or forest, for example. Dense smog may cast an acrid pall over a city, making throats burn and eyes sting. But, like acid and acerbic, acrid sometimes also describes nonphysical things, such as the remarks of a bitter person.

Origin and Etymology of acrid

modification of Latin acr-, acer sharp — more at edge

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1633

See Words from the same year

acrid Synonyms

Synonyms

bitter, acrimonious, embittered, hard, rancorous, resentful, sore

Antonyms

unbitter

Related Words

disaffected, discontented, disgruntled, malcontent; contemptuous, cynical, disdainful, misanthropic, scornful; angry, cruel, harsh, irritated, mad, rough, savage, vehement, vicious, virulent, vitriolic; acid, caustic, cutting, mordant, sarcastic, trenchant; knock-down, drag-out (or knock-down-and-drag-out)

Near Antonyms

caring, forgiving, gentle, kind, kindhearted, loving, sweet, sympathetic, tender, warm, warmhearted

Synonym Discussion of acrid

caustic, mordant, acrid, scathing mean stingingly incisive. caustic suggests a biting wit.

- caustic comments

mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.

- mordant reviews of the play

acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence.

- acrid invective

scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity.

- a scathing satire

ACRID Defined for Kids

acrid

play

adjective ac·rid \ ˈa-krəd \

Definition of acrid for Students

1 :sharp or bitter in taste or odor

2 :very harsh or unpleasant

an acrid manner

Medical Dictionary

acrid

play

adjective ac·rid \ ˈak-rəd \

medical Definition of acrid

:irritatingly sharp and harsh or unpleasantly pungent in taste or odor

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acridly

adverb

Learn More about acrid

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for acrid Spanish Central: Translation of acrid Nglish: Translation of acrid for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of acrid for Arabic speakers

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Examples of acrid in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of acrid

acrid Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Synonym Discussion of acrid

ACRID Defined for Kids

acrid

Definition of acrid for Students

Medical Dictionary

acrid

medical Definition of acrid

acridly

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