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
Adjective
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Shah’s closest ally (and the person most willing to call Shah on his lies to himself and others) is his cousin Zulfi, a gigantic character who Khan energizes with fast-talking charm, sarcastic asides, and an assessing glare that can cut through anyone’s defenses.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026 -
Yet another compared the look to Van Gogh, while others were more than ready to take Bieber up on her presumably sarcastic offer to accept appointments.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
25 May 2026
Adjective
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Afroman experienced a cultural renaissance after unleashing that satirical wit following a 2022 raid on his Ohio farmhouse by local sheriff's deputies.—
Andrew Graham
May 28,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2026
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For Lili in her darkest hour to summon a little petty annoyance over the wrong milk substitute for her coffee is a satirical grace note in an episode conspicuously short on laughs.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
24 May 2026
Adjective
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New York — In New York’s Hudson Valley, the artist Anicka Yi has erected columns bursting with mercurial microbial life, in hues of acid green and coffee, arranged like an archaeological dig at Storm King Art Center.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
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There are acid critiques of settler colonialism alongside tributes to the majesty of the American landscape, sober revisitations of enslavement alongside hopeful pleas for liberation, bitter denouncements of intervention in wars abroad alongside quaint homages to homespun Americanness.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Fortunately, your saliva helps neutralize acidic beverages and restore minerals to your teeth, Ritter said.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
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Carbonated water is slightly acidic, which can wear down tooth enamel when consumed in large quantities, especially if the seltzer uses citric acid for flavoring.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
24 May 2026
Adjective
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Cage had his arm smashed multiple times, Wheeler had a piece of his nose nearly taken off and barbed wire scraped the skin of each competitor.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2026
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Homes and gardens sit behind protective walls and gates with barbed wire.—
Eleanor Beardsley,
NPR,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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The acerbic toon has aired more than 330 episodes and pilloried scores of subjects and celebrities since its 1997 launch.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
19 May 2026
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That acerbic wit, who designed to be at the center of things.—
Mia Galuppo,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Acerb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerb. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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