1
as in bitter
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
a biting wind that only the toughest football fans were willing to endure
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
the biting comments by the pundits about the government's inaction
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of biting
Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
But that wasn’t the only biting incident as the Uruguayan bit Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic and was slapped with a 10-match suspension.
—Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
His owner, too, is learning on the job—like how to handle the puppy's biting stage.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for biting
Adjective
The most famous biting incident occurred during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when Suarez bit Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
But that wasn’t the only biting incident as the Uruguayan bit Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic and was slapped with a 10-match suspension.
—Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
Crappie are biting minnows or jigs 12 to 15 feet deep around timber.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025
His owner, too, is learning on the job—like how to handle the puppy's biting stage.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for biting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for biting
Adjective
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Remove a thin piece of peel from a lemon (for rye) or orange (for bourbon), getting as little of the bitter white pith as possible; hold the peel between your fingers with the outside facing the top of the drink and pinch slightly to express the citrus oils over the top.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
25 Oct. 2025
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Washington State is back on home soil for the first time in more than a month, having been on the road since suffering a heavy defeat to bitter rival Washington in the Apple Cup back in September.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Justine Lupe plays Joanne’s sarcastic best friend, sister, sometimes-advisor and podcast co-host Morgan Williams.—
Skyler Trepel,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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As a model named Carl, stuck in a relationship corrupted by microcelebrity and Instagram view counts, Dickinson ticks with exasperation and sarcastic logic, his jaw clenched, his eyes wide and staring.—
Carrie Battan,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The lesson of Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement's blood-sucking mockumentary?—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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The Red Raiders took advantage, scoring two touchdowns in two minutes to take a soul-sucking 22-19 lead with two minutes left.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In general, acting quickly is key since the pain can be sharp and overwhelming within the first few seconds.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
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The negligible homicide case is seen through the strongest of microscopes, bringing flashbacks of the backstory into sharp focus as questions about faith and the human psyche soon arise.—
Michael Lee Simpson,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The satirical newscast’s correspondents have been taking turns filling in the rest of the week.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
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Court records show that SpaceX, the rocket company founded in 2002 by billionaire Elon Musk, has settled a lawsuit filed in 2024 by Cards Against Humanity, the maker of the popular satirical party game of the same name.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent oversaw a series of unorthodox steps aimed at stabilizing Argentine assets after the peso had plunged in the wake of Milei’s party suffering a stinging defeat in a key provincial ballot last month.—
Daniel Flatley,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
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Terry Smith will serve as the interim head coach for the rest of the season for the Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten), who began the year with hopes of winning the national title only to have those hopes evaporate by early October with three consecutive losses, each one more stinging than the last.—
Travis Johnson,
Denver Post,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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One spring day in Paris many years ago, my wife, Diana, a most penetrating photographer, capable of seeing like no one else, decided, as an experiment, to walk across the city blindfolded.—
Hisham Matar,
Harper's Magazine,
2 Aug. 2024
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Since the war began in Gaza, more than six months ago, the Israeli magazine +972 has published some of the most penetrating reporting on the Israel Defense Forces’ conduct.—
Isaac Chotiner,
The New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2024
Adjective
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In the yard, decorations include nooses, hanging bodies, guards in towers and barbed wire fences.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
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The actress is clearly relishing the opportunity to deliver Aaron Sorkin’s barbed dialogue (though perhaps not as much as Philip Seymour Hoffman, who steals the show as an explosive CIA functionary).—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Biting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/biting. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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