vitriol

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noun vit·ri·ol \ ˈvi-trē-əl \

Definition of vitriol

1 :something felt to resemble vitriol especially in caustic quality; especially :virulence of feeling or of speech

2 a :a sulfate of any of various metals (such as copper, iron, or zinc); especially :a glassy hydrate of such a sulfate

b :oil of vitriol

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vitriolic

play \ˌvi-trē-ˈä-lik\ adjective

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Examples of vitriol in a Sentence

His speech was full of political vitriol.
a film critic noted for the vitriol and sometimes outright cruelty of his pronouncements

Recent Examples of vitriol from the Web

At Cygnet, Driscoll takes on the meaty role of Beatrice, a deeply troubled single mom who heaps vitriol on her adolescent daughters, Tillie (Abby DePuy) and Ruth (Rachel Esther Tate).

— james hebert, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Cygnet staging a rare bloom of a play with 'Marigolds'," 22 Aug. 2017
This show has a huge wind at its back before the curtain even goes up because of Lindsay-Abaire’s fine script, which just crackles with vitriol and hilarity.

— punch shaw, star-telegram, "Senior living has never been funnier, or more cutthroat, than in ‘Ripcord’," 22 Aug. 2017
Their vitriol was warranted but also unexpected, since in most of the press coverage of the shooting it had largely been erased.

— rachel kaadzi ghansah, GQ, "A Most American Terrorist: The Making of Dylann Roof," 21 Aug. 2017
Supremacy, discrimination, and vitriol are not American values.

— lorena o'neil, Billboard, "Members of Presidential Arts Commission Quit in Blazing Fashion: 'Your Values Are Not American Values'," 18 Aug. 2017
And there's that little detail of Sessions still being the attorney general and resolving not to resign -- no matter the vitriol Trump may fire his way -- unless the president asks.

— paul gattis, AL.com, "What's next for Jeff Sessions? Senate, governor runs suggested," 29 July 2017
But Trump’s voting commission appears to have become a magnet for vitriol against the president and Kobach personally.

— jennifer epstein, Bloomberg.com, "Trump Voting Panel Asks for Public Comment and Gets an Earful," 14 July 2017
Notably in Graham Greene's 1938 book Brighton Rock the young anti-hero carries a vial of vitriol that becomes the eventual cause of his demise.

— tara john, Time, "Acid Attacks Have Become a Gruesome Criminal Trend in the U.K.," 14 July 2017
Thus, the Right deems Trump to be a virginal political victim, a neophyte undeserving of his critics’ vitriol.

— ben shapiro, National Review, "No One Emerges from Trump’s Feud with the Media Looking Good," 5 July 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of vitriol

Middle English, from Anglo-French vitriole, from Medieval Latin vitriolum, alteration of Late Latin vitreolum, neuter of vitreolus glassy, from Latin vitreus vitreous

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First Known Use: 14th century

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