as in sorrowfully
with feelings of bitterness or grief
cried bitterly after her grandmother died
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Recent Examples of bitterly
The trial has dragged on for six years in a case that has bitterly divided the Israeli public.
—
Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
The eight men at the center of this book shared the common experience of being born before the Civil War, when this country was bitterly divided over slavery.
—CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
Doctors and nurses have complained bitterly about the situation, which forces them to provide inadequate care.
—Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
The money bitterly divided the golf world.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
Mary leaves four children, ages 10 to 17 — and relatives feuding so bitterly that the two families had to go to court to decide where Mary would be laid to rest and two separate memorial services were held.
—Jill Smolowe, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
The strike was fought bitterly on both sides.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Tesla , whose founder and CEO Elon Musk complained bitterly about the impact, has seen his stock soar nearly 35% in that period.
—Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
Generational and ideological battle lines were drawn; perhaps most bitterly, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and aligned super political action committees spent $7 million in this district alone.
—David Daley, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
The eight men at the center of this book shared the common experience of being born before the Civil War, when this country was bitterly divided over slavery.
—CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
Doctors and nurses have complained bitterly about the situation, which forces them to provide inadequate care.
—Elisabeth Rosenthal, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
The money bitterly divided the golf world.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026
Mary leaves four children, ages 10 to 17 — and relatives feuding so bitterly that the two families had to go to court to decide where Mary would be laid to rest and two separate memorial services were held.
—Jill Smolowe, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
The strike was fought bitterly on both sides.
—Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
Tesla , whose founder and CEO Elon Musk complained bitterly about the impact, has seen his stock soar nearly 35% in that period.
—Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 1 Apr. 2026
Generational and ideological battle lines were drawn; perhaps most bitterly, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and aligned super political action committees spent $7 million in this district alone.
—David Daley, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bitterly
Adverb
-
Tarun would tease her, and my mother would look sorrowfully toward Kavitha, as if the two of them now shared some womanly burden.—
Madhuri Vijay,
New Yorker,
16 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
If the Premier League’s bottom club hoped to draw a symbolic line under their season from hell with the confirmation of relegation from the Premier League, they were left sadly disappointed by events at Molineux in the first game since their fate was sealed.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Stage star Kelli Barrett, as Bertie, is given far less to work with, sadly.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
For their part, Democratic leaders spoke mournfully of limits, of energy shortages, of national decline, of a crisis of confidence itself.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Based on the Dylan Thomas prose poem of the same name, published in 1952, the film lovingly and mournfully depicts the boyhood Christmastime of an old Welshman, tenderly and a tad mischievously embodied by Elliott.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
21 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
That, along with the March trade that sent Sam Carrick to the Buffalo Sabres, would leave them painfully thin down the middle, with little center help coming up through the system.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Vientos’ error ultimately led to just one (unearned) run, but the margins are painfully thin for a Mets team that managed only four hits against four Rockies pitchers in Game 1.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
For most of the nation’s history, the former Confederate states have worked hard to minimize the political influence of Black residents in particular.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
-
Joyce, the Angels’ hard-throwing reliever, is the one whose return is most eagerly awaited by fans.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bitterly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bitterly. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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