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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Following the mother-daughter duo of Lorelai Gilmore, played by Lauren Graham, and Rory, played by Alexis Bledel, Gilmore Girls was perfectly made for millennials, packed with wistful romances, frustrating dramatic turns and just enough sarcastic jokes.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025 -
Viewers on Reddit were amused by the extortionate price shown for the vacation deal in the recent post, with several sharing their sarcastic takes on it.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The anime first premiered in October 2015, earning widespread acclaim for its satirical take on superhero tropes and stunning action sequences.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
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Count Dracula remains a fixture in the horror genre, having been featured in movies that range from scary and sexy to silly and satirical.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Normally, acid from citrus is used to curdle the milk, before the solids are removed to leave a rich drink.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
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Drinking coffee may stimulate an increase in acid production in the stomach.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Since iron availability depends on an acidic environment, this reduces its absorption.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
7 Oct. 2025
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British yelper Yungblud released his debut in 2018 and has been cultivating a fervent fanbase for his ambitious, acidic music in the years since, but his co-sign from Ozzy Osbourne before the metal titan’s death this summer and his ambitious album Idols raised his profile in the wider rock world.—
Maura Johnston,
Rolling Stone,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Watch this just for all the quick lands and barbed moments here alone.—
Andy Hoglund,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Oct. 2025
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Meanwhile, a story from Indiana explains how one bird species skewers its prey on barbed wire, then returns for it later.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Throughout the day, as the professor’s thoughts cascade from Dostoyevsky to YouTube fitness influencers, nearly every one of Castro’s acerbic, unfiltered paragraphs contains a bristling insight about literature, weight lifting, or academic politics.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
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Standouts in the cat-boutique vocal cast include Donovan Patton as the acerbic CatRat, Julien Donenfield as Cakey the cupcake, and Maggie Lowe as the innocent Baby Box, who’s got a head like a small house.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
24 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Acerb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerb. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.
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