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bitter

adjective

ˈbi-tər How to pronounce bitter (audio)
Definition of bitternext
1
as in angry
having or showing deep-seated resentment a bitter attitude about always having to work on Saturday she's still bitter about how her family treated her so unfairly

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2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally discovering that he had been cut from the crew team was a bitter disappointment

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3
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin a bitter wind was stinging the faces of the skiers

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4
as in harsh
difficult to endure a bitter lesson about money and friendship

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5
as in cold
having a low or subnormal temperature a bitter February day for this part of the country

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6
as in chilly
uncomfortably cool a bitter, rainy day

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7
as in mournful
expressing or suggesting mourning a bitter cry of grief

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8
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses had to face the bitter truth about their marriage

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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 bitter But ever since the controversy that faced the last edition, in 2022, the show has faced bitter criticism, with many alleging that politicians’ accusations of antisemitism at the exhibition were born of an attempt to crack down on pro-Palestine art. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 18 Sep. 2026 When Hunt ran against Cornyn and Paxton in the Texas Republican Senate race, the contest grew increasingly bitter as the primary unfolded. — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 17 Sep. 2026 Before their annual matchups and bitter back-and-forth contests with LSU and Tennessee, the Gators considered the Tigers one of their biggest rivals, and the feeling was mutual on the other side. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2026 The food might taste rancid, sour, bitter, or just not right. — Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bitter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bitter
  1. angry
  2. painful
  3. biting
  4. harsh
  5. cold
  6. chilly
  7. mournful
  8. unpleasant
Adjective
  • Seemingly intentionally, the film leaves some details unresolved — where’s Jo’s absentee father, and exactly what made Manang so bitterly angry?
    — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Often clad in leather or a simple singlet, revealing his arms-length collection of tattoos, Angry Anderson always looked hard as nails and as angry as his nickname.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of angry
Adjective
  • The story follows Ramón, a film assistant reeling from a painful breakup, who begins working with Camille de Valois, a legendary French actress returning to cinema after two decades away following an accusation of murder.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Still, there are good reasons Trump may be holding back, not least to avoid opening a potentially painful second front, just seven months after launching his damaging and ongoing conflict with Iran.
    — Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • In 2022, Lee County’s Mosquito Control District decided to try aiming radiation at mosquitoes instead, specifically the biting, disease-carrying kind — Aedes aegypti.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The pacing is more frenetic, the narration more biting, the flashbacks more jarring, and the comedowns much harsher.
    — Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
Definition of biting
Adjective
  • This has been complicated further by the Iran war energy shock which is a harsh wake-up call for Southeast Asia.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Even when used on its own, bleach is incredibly harsh and can strip your floors’ finish, leaving it vulnerable to damage, discoloration, and dullness over time.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • Yes; there are spa treatments as well as a sauna, cold plunge, and hot tub circuit rooted in a traditional Ahousaht bathing ritual.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2026
  • So much of the last season with Charlie [Hunnam] was Charlie [as Ed Gein] in a barn or in a cold house talking to himself.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of cold
Adjective
  • The first is a strong area of high pressure over eastern Canada that’s sending crisp and chilly air to the Northeast.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
  • One side effect of this is a new distance from OpenAI, in addition to its existing chilly relationship with Anthropic, and from the growing number of AI employees in Silicon Valley who also support the calls for a slowdown.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of chilly
Adjective
  • Tender Loving Care is a gentle, mournful, funny portrait of a family whose future is shadowed by uncertainty but tries to face life with cheeriness.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Part of it was the circumstances of his death and the mournful public procession through Brooklyn.
    — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of mournful
Adjective
  • For people without underlying risk factors, COVID infections are not outright dangerous but remain deeply unpleasant, Guest and Chin-Hong say.
    — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Over time, the dog may start to associate the unpleasant noise with the barking and stop.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of unpleasant

Browse Nearby Words

bitten the dust
bitter
bitterly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bitter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bitter. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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