as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
the customer made his displeasure known with more acerbity than was necessary
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of acerbity
The third element of the trio is Mary Flynn, played by the terrific Lindsey Mendez, a 2018 Tony winner for Carousel, with a natural warmth that offsets the character’s growing acerbity.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2022
The Brodie books demonstrate her great facility with genre, pairing pulse-quickening suspense with Atkinson’s distinctive blend of puckishness and acerbity.
—Sarah Chihaya, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2022
Mazower notes with some acerbity that no king of Greece died quietly in office before 1947 . . .
—Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021
Rarely does a reviewer convey her opinion of a book’s strengths and weaknesses with such grace and acerbity.
—New York Times, 4 Dec. 2020
There is, however, something respectable and clarifying about its commitment to acerbity.
—Kate Knibbs, Wired, 7 Sep. 2020
Overly harsh with citrus, the fish was like an Italianate ceviche, and its acerbity drowned the satiny, subtle panna cotta.
—Kate Washington, sacbee, 11 May 2018
By now Dimon is nearly iconic in his acerbity and general spikiness.
—Daniel Gross, Slate Magazine, 17 July 2017
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2022
The Brodie books demonstrate her great facility with genre, pairing pulse-quickening suspense with Atkinson’s distinctive blend of puckishness and acerbity.
—Sarah Chihaya, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2022
Mazower notes with some acerbity that no king of Greece died quietly in office before 1947 . . .
—Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021
Rarely does a reviewer convey her opinion of a book’s strengths and weaknesses with such grace and acerbity.
—New York Times, 4 Dec. 2020
There is, however, something respectable and clarifying about its commitment to acerbity.
—Kate Knibbs, Wired, 7 Sep. 2020
Overly harsh with citrus, the fish was like an Italianate ceviche, and its acerbity drowned the satiny, subtle panna cotta.
—Kate Washington, sacbee, 11 May 2018
By now Dimon is nearly iconic in his acerbity and general spikiness.
—Daniel Gross, Slate Magazine, 17 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acerbity
Noun
-
The examples of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, where life after revolution is replete with bitterness and recrimination, are profoundly discouraging.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Blessed with tender skins and jammy interiors, fresh figs can offset the tang of tomatoes and bitterness of salad greens.—
Emily Saladino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The rodents rarely carry rabies, though squirrel bites have been linked to the transmission of certain diseases to humans.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Mosquito bites can cause a range of reactions, from mild redness and itching to blisters and bruise-like dark spots, depending on the person’s sensitivity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The fear of a man with a single foot over a cliff edge.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
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The Lexington community, still reeling from a 5-year-old’s death in a home explosion five months ago, is on edge after gas lines continue to get hit by companies installing fiber optic cables.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
It's also commonly used in dressings and marinades due to its acidity.—
Lauren O'Connor,
Health,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Avoid wrapping leftover cut limes in aluminum foil, which can react with the acidity in the fruit, causing an off flavor.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
21 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Acerbity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerbity. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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