bitter

1 of 4

adjective

bit·​ter ˈbi-tər 

1

a

: being, inducing, or marked by the one of the five basic taste sensations that is peculiarly acrid, astringent, and often disagreeable and characteristic of citrus peels, unsweetened cocoa, black coffee, mature leafy greens (such as kale or mustard), or ale

The pill left a bitter taste in my mouth.

bitter beer

bitter chocolates

compare salty entry 1 sense 1b, sour entry 1 sense 1, sweet entry 1, umami entry 2 sense 1

b

: distasteful or distressing to the mind : galling

a bitter sense of shame

2

: marked by intensity or severity:

a

: accompanied by severe pain or suffering

a bitter death

b

: being relentlessly determined : vehement

a bitter partisan

c

: exhibiting intense animosity

bitter enemies

d(1)

: harshly reproachful

bitter complaints

(2)

: marked by cynicism and rancor

bitter contempt

was still bitter about not being chosen

e

: intensely unpleasant especially in coldness or rawness

a bitter wind

3

: caused by or expressive of severe pain, grief, or regret

bitter tears

bitterish

ˈbi-tə-rish 

adjective

bitterly adverb

bitterness noun

bitter

2 of 4

noun

1

a

: bitter quality

… stepping outside your comfort zone and taking the bitter with the sweet.

—James Poniewoziks

b

: the taste sensation that is peculiarly acrid, astringent, and often disagreeable and is characteristic of citrus peels, unsweetened cocoa, black coffee, mature leafy greens (such as kale or mustard), or ale compare salty entry 2, sour entry 2 sense 1b, sweet entry 3 sense 2, umami entry 1

2

a

bitters ˈbi-tərz  plural : a usually alcoholic solution of bitter and often aromatic plant products used especially in preparing mixed drinks or as a mild tonic (see tonic entry 1 sense 1b)

b

British : a very dry (see dry entry 1 sense 7b) heavily hopped ale

bitter

3 of 4

verb

bittered; bittering; bitters

transitive verb

: to make bitter (see bitter entry 1)

bittered ale

bitter

4 of 4

adverb

: to an intense or severe degree : to a bitter (see bitter entry 1) degree

It's bitter cold.

Synonyms

Adjective

• angry
• sore
• cynical
• embittered
• resentful
• acrimonious
• acrid
• rancorous
• mad
• sarcastic

Examples of bitter in a Sentence

Adjective

Cocoa beans have a bitter flavor.

The medicine had a bitter aftertaste.

We were struck by the bitter irony of the situation.

His betrayal had made her bitter.

She was still bitter toward her ex-husband.

He's the bitterest man I know.

Noun

The cocktail recipe called for a dash of bitters.

a good selection of bitters

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Remove a thin piece of peel from a lemon (for rye) or orange (for bourbon), getting as little of the bitter white pith as possible; hold the peel between your fingers with the outside facing the top of the drink and pinch slightly to express the citrus oils over the top. —Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025

The cold brew is bitter but topped with a fluffy, whipped cold foam that tastes almondy, sweet and spice-filled. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2025

Noun

In the same way your chocolate chip cookies wouldn’t taste quite as delicious without a splash of vanilla extract, many of your favorite classic cocktails wouldn't taste right without bitters. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2025

The classic Manhattan has numerous variations on its mix of rye, vermouth, and bitters. —Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025

Verb

Snubbed in El Clasico as Madrid lost 4-3 to bitter rival FC Barcelona in Montjuic in May, and therefore ceded all three domestic titles to the Catalans, Rodrygo reportedly never wanted to play for Madrid again and had refused to do so. —Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025

Most Beach Club beers, like Mango Colada with coconut and lime, have minimal amounts of bittering hops. —Eric Velasco, al, 23 Apr. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, going back to Old English biter, going back to Germanic *bitra- (whence Old Saxon & Old High German bittar "acrid-tasting," Old Norse bitr "biting, sharp") and *baitra- (whence Gothic baitrs "sharp-tasting"), derivatives from the base of *bītan- "to bite" — more at bite entry 1

Noun

derivative of bitter entry 1

Verb

Middle English bittrin, going back to Old English biterian, derivative of biter bitter entry 1

Adverb

Middle English bitter, bittere, going back to Old English bitere, derivative of biter bitter entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bitter

• bitter almond
• bitter cress
• bitter end
• bitter orange
• to/until the bitter end

Rhymes for bitter

• critter
• fitter
• fritter
• glitter
• hitter
• jitter
• knitter
• litter
• quitter
• ritter
• splitter
• titter

Kids Definition

bitter

adjective

bit·​ter

ˈbit-ər

1

: having or being a disagreeable sharp taste that is one of the four basic taste sensations

bitter coffee

compare salt entry 3 sense 1b, sour entry 1 sense 1, sweet entry 1 sense 1b

2

: hard to accept or bear : painful

bitter disappointment

3

: sharp and resentful

a bitter reply

4

: unpleasantly cold

a bitter wind

bitterly adverb

bitterness noun

Medical Definition

bitter

adjective

bit·​ter ˈbit-ər 

: being or inducing the one of the four basic taste sensations that is peculiarly acrid, astringent, or disagreeable and suggestive of an infusion of hops compare salt entry 2 sense 2, sour entry 1, sweet entry 1

bitterness noun