acrimonious
adjective
ac·ri·mo·ni·ous
ˌa-krə-ˈmō-nē-əs 
acrimoniously
adverb
acrimoniousness
noun
Examples of acrimonious in a Sentence
Each man came out of their acrimonious 200-meter showdown on July 23 with an injured hamstring and a decidedly negative vibe.
—
Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept. 2000
My May 19, 1967, memorandum to the president unleashed a storm of controversy. … It led to tense and acrimonious Senate hearings that pitted me against the Joint Chiefs of Staff and generated rumors they intended to resign en masse.
—Robert McNamara, In Retrospect, 1995
But considering the momentousness of the issue, the original Darwinian debate was far less acrimonious than might have been expected …
—Gertrude Himmelfarb, American Scholar, Autumn 1981
We could tell, however, when debate became more acrimonious than professional, but this was from watching lawyers other than our father.
—Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960
He went through an acrimonious divorce.
an acrimonious parting between the two former friends
Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept. 2000
My May 19, 1967, memorandum to the president unleashed a storm of controversy. … It led to tense and acrimonious Senate hearings that pitted me against the Joint Chiefs of Staff and generated rumors they intended to resign en masse.
—Robert McNamara, In Retrospect, 1995
But considering the momentousness of the issue, the original Darwinian debate was far less acrimonious than might have been expected …
—Gertrude Himmelfarb, American Scholar, Autumn 1981
We could tell, however, when debate became more acrimonious than professional, but this was from watching lawyers other than our father.
—Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960
He went through an acrimonious divorce.
an acrimonious parting between the two former friends
Recent Examples on the Web
The event capped almost 18 months of turbulence for the long-running contest, which underwent an acrimonious change in leadership following the resignation of Miss USA 2023, Utah’s Noelia Voigt, amid allegations of mistreatment.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
There was an acrimonious lawsuit filed in 1988 on Buoniconti’s behalf against the school and its trainer and team doctor, both sides blaming the other.
—Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Some of us were even able to join in the wide ranging, at times acrimonious, troubled teen survivor movement, and speak out in support of protections for kids in institutions.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
Some of the most acrimonious moments during the debate, which was organized by Spectrum News NY1, came during what were ostensibly meant to be discussions on policy.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acrimonious
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
There was an acrimonious lawsuit filed in 1988 on Buoniconti’s behalf against the school and its trainer and team doctor, both sides blaming the other.
—Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Some of us were even able to join in the wide ranging, at times acrimonious, troubled teen survivor movement, and speak out in support of protections for kids in institutions.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
Some of the most acrimonious moments during the debate, which was organized by Spectrum News NY1, came during what were ostensibly meant to be discussions on policy.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acrimonious
Cite this Entry
“Acrimonious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acrimonious. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share