1
as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
doesn't like the asperity of most experimental music
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression
she responded with such asperity that we knew she was deeply offended by the question
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3
as in hardship
something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal
He overcame his share of asperities on the road to success.
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Recent Examples of asperity
Robin Waterfield’s Aesop’s Fables: A New Translation (Basic Books, $30) renders them in all their feral, fatalistic glory—bursts of Hobbesian asperity with dubious, sometimes conflicting, morals.
—
Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 22 Aug. 2024
Advertisement On a re-read, Orwell’s narrative holds up, in large part due to the asperity of the prose and the prescient description of how fascism can creep into any society that takes freedom for granted.
—Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2023
Her asperity has brought upon her the full flaming rage of the Twittersphere.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2022
Imagine Don Draper’s grasp of American psychopathology delivered with the pithy asperity of Emily Dickinson.
—Megan O’Grady, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2020
By the time Keane wrote Devoted Ladies, a note of asperity had crept into her fiction.
—Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 22 Nov. 2018
Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 22 Aug. 2024
Advertisement On a re-read, Orwell’s narrative holds up, in large part due to the asperity of the prose and the prescient description of how fascism can creep into any society that takes freedom for granted.
—Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2023
Her asperity has brought upon her the full flaming rage of the Twittersphere.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2022
Imagine Don Draper’s grasp of American psychopathology delivered with the pithy asperity of Emily Dickinson.
—Megan O’Grady, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2020
By the time Keane wrote Devoted Ladies, a note of asperity had crept into her fiction.
—Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 22 Nov. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asperity
Noun
-
Biden’s attempts to reingratiate himself have largely fallen on deaf ears, given the lasting bitterness many Democrats hold over his handling of the last year of his presidency.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Cook mustard greens with olive oil and spices like pepper flakes and garlic, then add vinegar or lemon juice to balance the bitterness.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Kp is an index used to indicate the severity of the global magnetic disturbances in near-Earth space, NOAA said.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Brain scans revealed the severity of the bleeds and whether patients showed signs of cerebral small vessel disease, a condition that damages tiny blood vessels in the brain and is linked to aging, high blood pressure and dementia.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
As one of six siblings raised by a single mother, Blatt has dealt with her share of hardships.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Frohling said some in the jury pool may face hardships, such as illness, death or travel, which could potentially excuse them.—
John Diedrich,
jsonline.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The measure appears to have been the least favored around the southeastern edge of the county, an area that was originally supposed to get access to the silver line.—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Nov. 2025
-
These changes, as well as, wearing bangs were a major key to keeping her edges strong.—
Essence,
Essence,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
One can be sure that the utility of having hostilities with Venezuela for this case is not lost on the administration.—
David Smilde,
Time,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Before the Chiefs’ Divisional Round win in January 2024, Jones embraced that hostility by jawing with fans during warmups.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Aid organizations also face mounting difficulty reaching affected populations.—
ARIF HUSAIN,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Party leaders including Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries continue blaming Republicans for the looming premium spikes and other shutdown ripples, but the standoff’s sudden end underscores the difficulty of maintaining Democrats’ fragile and fractious coalition.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Crisp bits of bacon add a salty crunch, while the green onion brings a fresh, mild bite.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The poolside Joia Bar, modeled after a traditional Dominican casita, overlooks the lagoon pool and the sea, offering light bites, appetizers, and cocktails.—
Regan Stephens,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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One Pasteurella-like microbe carried genetic hints of virulence and has ties to deadly outbreaks in modern African elephants.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
30 Sep. 2025
-
While VUMs require more testing to establish their true risks to public health, VOIs are explicitly confirmed to have genetic changes that affect virus characteristics like transmissibility and virulence.—
Jack Knudson,
Discover Magazine,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Asperity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asperity. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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