Definition of acridnext
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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective acrid contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of acrid are caustic, mordant, and scathing. While all these words mean "stingingly incisive," acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence.

acrid invective

When would caustic be a good substitute for acrid?

While in some cases nearly identical to acrid, caustic suggests a biting wit.

caustic comments

When can mordant be used instead of acrid?

The words mordant and acrid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.

mordant reviews of the play

In what contexts can scathing take the place of acrid?

In some situations, the words scathing and acrid are roughly equivalent. However, scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity.

a scathing satire

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of acrid Wednesday, Bleeds Bleeds, the by turns acrid and rustic sixth album from Nashville quintet Wednesday, is here to remind you never to typecast southern rock as implicitly, exclusively country-tinged. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025 For example, when trapped or crushed, these beetles release a yellowish defensive fluid from their leg joints that emits a strong, acrid odor and can stain walls or fabrics. Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025 After joining Alpha Genesis that December, Strickland needed a few days to adjust to the acrid smell of the grounds—feces shot through with ammonia—and to the codes of behavior governing human-macaque interactions. Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025 Day turned to night as thick, acrid clouds blackened the sky. Robert Wyss, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for acrid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acrid
Adjective
  • Jimmy Butler was lost for the season last week with a torn ACL, and trade candidate Jonathan Kuminga has been unable to play while battling a sore knee.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026
  • Sacramento, which by all rights should be rebuilding, put themselves on course to be over the luxury tax next season by adding a 28-year old with sore knees while giving up a 26-year-old whose next contract will likely be for half as much.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Libby has a good ear for corporate doublespeak and probably another satirical play in him about whatever goes on at this company’s Taco Tuesday, but Data sticks to a staunchly instructive spirit.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The year got underway with Playboy Manbaby releasing their first album since 2018, a satirical takedown of life as know it in 2026.
    Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • This is a fairly faithful rendition of the original, with bushy broccoli rabe as the bitter green of choice.
    Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
  • After their murders, their families sat in the bitter cold and grieved, waiting for the prime minister, Imran Khan, to come and mourn with them.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Tom Lester played Eb Dawson, the Douglases' sarcastic young farmhand.
    Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 25 Jan. 2026
  • The worse things are going, the more bitter and sarcastic my humor sometimes gets.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • These agents are recruited from among angry white males enticed by a signup bonus of $50,000.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The video is just as angry as the song’s lyrics and delivery, cutting disturbing (but not graphic) footage from ICE’s clashes with demonstrators in the city with Springsteen performing the song in his home studio.
    Jem Aswad, Variety, 29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Mushy, wrinkled, moldy, or acidic-smelling grapes should only be food for your compost.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Dark roasts are less acidic than other roasts.
    Emily Santora, Health, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • That didn’t happen, not least because of the cynical fecklessness of regional powers.
    Juan Pablo Spinetto, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
  • But cynical calculation gives way to transformative sense of purpose and perhaps redemption.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • What’s lacking is acid, some tang, to cut through the excess of richness.
    Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2026
  • What begins as a slow, lumbering triplet rhythm gradually morphs into a fleet and elegant quasi-acid jam; drums that start off gently turn tough and clattering before the whole thing fades out in a soft sunset glow.
    Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 14 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Acrid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acrid. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.

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