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 is taken as evidence of his status, not a sarcastic criticism.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
  • On Monday night, Contreras was ejected in the second inning after a check-swing strikeout prompted him to give a sarcastic ABS challenge gesture at the umpire, earning an instant boot.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 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
  • 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
  • On the other hand, a hydrangea species that can sometimes disappoint Chicago-area gardeners is the bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), known for having big blue blooms when grown in acid soil and popular in the eastern United States.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
Definition of acid
Adjective
  • Third, adding synthetic fertilizer makes soil more acidic, which can inhibit arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and mycelial development.
    — Esther Ndumi Ngumbi, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
  • Baking soda works by absorbing odors and neutralizing musty, acidic smells from mildew, mold, and bacteria.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Definition of acidic
Adjective
  • The fence, as constructed, is more than 8 feet tall and is topped with a strand of barbed wire — too high for many animals to jump and dangerous for those that attempt to do so.
    — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 28 June 2026
  • Vines have grown through the fence and barbed wire surrounding a tall art deco building in this city’s downtown, and cigarette holders and empty food tins litter the tall weeds.
    — Susan Svrluga, Washington Post, 24 June 2026
Definition of barbed
Adjective
  • An unswervingly loyal oncologist, Wilson was the acerbic doctor's only true friend.
    — Danny Horn, Entertainment Weekly, 5 July 2026
  • At a moment when technology companies were promising to bring people closer together, David Fincher’s acerbic drama about the founding of Facebook had a darker theory about why people wanted to connect in the first place.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 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 10 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of acerb for Spanish Speakers

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