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acerb

adjective

ə-ˈsərb How to pronounce acerb (audio)
Definition of acerbnext
as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings a professor with a rather acerb sense of humor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acerb
  1. sarcastic
  2. satiric
  3. acid
  4. acidic
  5. barbed
  6. acerbic
Adjective
  • This hampers several of my favorite performances, especially Harper, whose Ben is full of sarcastic indignation, and June Laporte as Ginny, an aspiring reporter in need of proper mentoring.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The sarcastic Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) and affable actor Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) are among her favorite characters.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of sarcastic
Adjective
  • Burić won Best Actor at the 35th European Film Awards for his role in Ruben Östlund’s satirical black comedy Triangle of Sadness, which won the Palme d’Or at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in 2022.
    — Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Waugh on his turn from satirical humorist to dark inquisitor of the human condition is in full effect here.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of satiric
Adjective
  • The idea that these two would have a five-minute-or-less breakup conversation, then plop down on the couch and happily embark on an acid trip together, strains credulity a little, even for this bizarre, codependent friend group.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In a sequencer that resembled a large fridge, millions of short nucleic-acid fragments would be identified in the span of ten hours.
    — Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of acid
Adjective
  • Estrogen loss thins the vaginal tissue and changes the microbiome, leading to a less acidic environment -- a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that cause UTIs.
    — Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Lime green piping traced an aubergine silk skirt; flashes of acidic color appeared on necklines and linings.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of acidic
Adjective
  • Which is to say, this is more a barbed comedy of manners than a proper, elegant period piece.
    — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
  • There are plenty of Ostalgie museums in today’s united Germany, furnished with memorabilia of the German Democratic Republic, from twigs of barbed wire to Trabant gearboxes.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of barbed
Adjective
  • Yiannopoulos’ acerbic and at times hateful speech attracted the fury of students who argued his views should not be platformed.
    — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Malgorzata Szumowska, Michal Englert) Aimee Lou Wood and Johnny Flynn are superb as Anna and Fyodor Dostoevsky in Małgorzata Szumowska and Michał Englert’s acerbic and joyful period film.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of acerbic
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.

Browse Nearby Words

acequias
acerb
acerbic
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Cite this Entry

“Acerb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerb. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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