1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

bitterness

noun

Definition of bitternessnext
1
as in hostility
a deep-seated ill will he still harbored an implacable bitterness against the company that had fired him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bite
a harsh or sharp quality the bitterness of the coffee suggested that it had been reheated

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in chill
an uncomfortable degree of coolness there's a bitterness in the air, so let's build a fire in the fireplace

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression complained with great bitterness about the ill treatment he had always received

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 bitterness Magazine understands that an experience need not be melodramatic or unique to be deeply transformative, and that moments of joy or bitterness, confusion or clarity, can all sit side by side. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026 Don’t leave without trying the cold brew tamarindo, where the fruit’s tartness plays against the bitterness of the coffee. — Nikkita Nair, Saveur, 10 Sep. 2026 Instead, that generation’s gesture seems to be stymied or to miss its target and end in bitterness—which is precisely what gives these artists’ work at its best a poignancy on the other side of its aggression and humor. — Barry Schwabsky, ARTnews.com, 8 Sep. 2026 The quality of the coffee seems a bit underwhelming, and its bitterness drowns out much of the perceptible campfire-ness. — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 1 Sep. 2026 This copper beauty serves up bold floral and citrus aromas, plus the signature IPA bitterness. — Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026 Little united the Syrian rebels during the country’s civil war from 2011 to 2024 outside of their hatred of Assad, and Damascus has sought to cultivate this memory of bitterness to keep the country’s disparate groups together. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2026 The tea supplies tannins and bitterness while maple and orange recreate that familiar balance of sweet, bitter and citrus. — Ryan Brennan august 9, Kansas City Star, 9 Aug. 2026 This crucial step concentrates the paste’s flavor and removes any raw spice bitterness. — Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bitterness
  1. hostility
  2. bite
  3. chill
  4. severity
  5. grudge
  6. edge
  7. chilliness
  8. anger
Noun
  • Carriers have felt more comfortable bringing ultra-large container vessels through the area even with the hostilities in the Middle East lingering.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The surge in withdrawals comes as the ICC faces hostility from Washington and a leadership crisis after ousting its own chief prosecutor.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of hostility
Noun
  • The goat is tender and deeply savory, the perfect vehicle for slathering charred avocado and queso for a truly melt-in-your-mouth bite.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Gummi Popz, chewy bite-sized squares filled with fizzing candy, went on sale earlier this year.
    — Dee-Ann Durbin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of bite
Noun
  • Slow Cooker Beef and Lentil Soup This hearty soup is the correct answer to a winter chill.
    — Lizzy Briskin, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The ever-present chill of mortality ensures that there’s also a lot of talk about who gets to go to heaven.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of chill
Noun
  • Hammer time Rating the severity of Clippers penalties Adam Silver and the NBA finally levied a punishment on the Clippers on Wednesday after 364 days of an investigation into allegations of salary-cap circumvention.
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The tone continues to be placid, the plunky marimba and steel drum score remains the same, and the performances only grow to feel even more remarkably lived-in as the severity of the situation clicks into place.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of severity
Noun
  • Few people in her life would likely describe Stevie as angry or a grudge holder.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The story follows Naruto Uzumaki, a ninja seeking to overcome rivals and past grudges on his way to becoming Hokage, the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of grudge
Noun
  • The Eagles were not as dominant in 2025, partly due to the regression of the depth in their secondary and the injuries sustained at edge rusher.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The facilities would include what’s known as an edge computing data center, which typically is much smaller than traditional data centers and which Global Stack says would require lower utility use and no municipal water connection.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of edge
Noun
  • Or that Penélope Cruz’s sultry chilliness would jibe with either her male counterparts or Wilde’s diary-of-a-mad-housewife interpretation of a brittle, eager-to-impress woman brimming with creative frustration.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2026
Definition of chilliness
Noun
  • As a result, water is often scarce, and small protests have erupted, despite the fear of being detained, as anger and frustration boil over.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Hundreds of protesters rallied outside Israel’s embassy in Bangkok, demanding that foreign visitors — especially Israelis — stop flouting Thai laws and customs as anger over tourist misconduct spills into the streets.
    — Jintamas Saksornchai, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of anger

Browse Nearby Words

bitterly
bitterness
bit the dust
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bitterness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bitterness. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of watershed

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All