vitriol
noun
vit·ri·ol
ˈvi-trē-əl 
1
: bitterly harsh or caustic language or criticism
political commentators spewing angry vitriol
Rumor has always played a role in politics, but rarely have the backstage operatives been so adroit, and so cynical, in their use of vitriol.—
Walter Shapiro
Walter ShapiroCascades of multisyllabic vitriol engulf us as Conrad communicates his utter loathing of television …—Stanley Marcus
Stanley Marcus2
a
: a sulfate of any of various metals (such as copper, iron, or zinc)
especially
: a glassy hydrate of such a sulfate
b
Synonyms
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 on the Web
Trump swiftly reacted to President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 election, with typically nasty vitriol.
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 22 July 2024
Chicago, often the target of Trump’s vitriol over the years, was largely spared of any negative rhetoric during the four-day convention.
—Malavika Ramakrishnan, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2024
Republicans, who are billing their national convention as a show of unity after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, focused the event's second day on immigration, an issue that generates a lot of his vitriol and some of Trump's strongest support.
—Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, 16 July 2024
She’s also been subjected to various displays of vitriol online and only recently — at the advice of Shaq — stopped reading the comments, some of which skew political.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for vitriol 
Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 22 July 2024
Chicago, often the target of Trump’s vitriol over the years, was largely spared of any negative rhetoric during the four-day convention.
—Malavika Ramakrishnan, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2024
Republicans, who are billing their national convention as a show of unity after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, focused the event's second day on immigration, an issue that generates a lot of his vitriol and some of Trump's strongest support.
—Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, 16 July 2024
She’s also been subjected to various displays of vitriol online and only recently — at the advice of Shaq — stopped reading the comments, some of which skew political.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for vitriol
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vitriol.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near vitriol
Cite this Entry
“Vitriol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vitriol. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
vitriol
noun
vit·ri·ol
ˈvi-trē-əl
: something (as written or spoken words) thought to be as harsh and burning as acid
Medical Definition
vitriol
noun
vit·ri·ol
ˈvi-trē-əl
1
: a sulfate of any of various metals (as copper, iron, or zinc)
2
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