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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acerb
Adjective
-
Every post is something sarcastic about what other investors are doing and saying.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
4 Dec. 2025 -
Muhammad responded with a sarcastic agreement.—
Fernando Quiles Jr,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Moore was a Baptist evangelist, admired for his knowledge of the Scriptures and for his satirical edge from the pulpit.—
Michael Luo,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
-
In Lebanon, a look-alike delivery driver posts satirical videos and pranks unsuspecting residents, showing the fear Adraee inspires.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
It is adorned in Lake Como silks and a palette of pale blue, pistachio, and acid yellow.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
17 Nov. 2025
-
The idea of dissolving the self in an acid bath of erotic imagery was not, in the end, so unappealing.—
Daniel Kolitz,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The acidic nature of coffee can be a source of discomfort for people with acid reflux, also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).—
Christina Manian,
Health,
10 June 2026
-
These involve removal of thorium from REE containing acidic solution, as well as the selective extraction of REEs using oxalic acid.—
Aditya Jadhav,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
When Deandra confronts Willa in the otherwise empty bathroom at a school dance, Infiniti brings fear and curiosity and the barbed self-assuredness of a teenager to the fore, merely in the slight adjustments to her facial expression.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
24 Nov. 2025
-
The presidential palace went on security lockdown over the weekend, with major access roads barricaded by anti-riot police, cargo containers and barbed wires.—
NPR,
NPR,
16 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The Probability of Miracles follows Campbell Cooper (Collazo), an acerbic teenager dying of cancer who, after receiving a terminal diagnosis, moves with her mom and younger sister to the town of Promise, where miracles are said to happen.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
-
As embodied by John Lithgow, Dahl is incisive, avuncular, irascible, acerbic, and always entertaining.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
31 May 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Acerb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerb. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
