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
  • Another way to say this is that, in place of the extensive self-announcements Plato allows his characters, Rochester substitutes his own summary judgements, his sarcastic imitations.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • This is taken as evidence of his status, not a sarcastic criticism.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
Definition of sarcastic
Adjective
  • The script for the video was written by Casale and his longtime friend Max Papeschi, an Italian satirical artist.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 July 2026
  • Staff members of the satirical magazine Leman are on trial on charges of inciting hatred over a cartoon published last year that features the Prophet Mohammed and Moses.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of satiric
Adjective
  • Controlling the temperature protects the battery’s internal chemistry from acid buildup and long-term damage.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 8 July 2026
  • Scotto highlighted that Kinetik has purpose-built its system for sour gas handling, giving it an edge over new competitors that may face permitting delays of at least three years to build acid gas injection wells.
    — TipRanks.com Staff, CNBC, 21 June 2026
Definition of acid
Adjective
  • The Venus flytrap is native only to the coastal wetlands and bogs of North Carolina and South Carolina, and grows naturally in nutrient-poor, acidic, and perpetually wet areas.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 14 July 2026
  • Earlier studies also showed that slightly acidic seawater from the BPMED process can accelerate algae growth, and allow future systems to simultaneously recover minerals while producing chemicals, fuels, fertilizers, and biomass.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
Definition of acidic
Adjective
  • But his view of Adrian’s methods, goals, and way of life end up making the bond of mentorship both tenuous and barbed.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 July 2026
  • Meanwhile, McGrew agreed to adjustments, including adding baffles to reduce sound from a attached generator for the tower and replacing tower fencing that incorporated barbed wire with taller, more natural looking fencing.
    — Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2026
Definition of barbed
Adjective
  • At the level of style, there was nothing obviously flamboyant about Allen’s music, nor her presence on stage, the quiet, acerbic composure of her delivery.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
  • An unswervingly loyal oncologist, Wilson was the acerbic doctor's only true friend.
    — Danny Horn, Entertainment Weekly, 5 July 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 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on acerb

Nglish: Translation of acerb for Spanish Speakers

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