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 Some are prized for their sweet custard and fruity notes, others for a hint of bitterness, an alcohol tinge or even a peanut butter flavor. — ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026 Arugula’s natural bitterness kicks off digestion before the first bite, cueing saliva, stomach acid and digestive enzymes that help the body prepare to break down a meal. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Sep. 2026 Why arugula may help digestion The whole pitch hinges on one thing, bitterness. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026 The changing household and the bitterness of their parents’ split affected the future royal, Diana’s brother Charles Spencer told The Sunday Times in 2020. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 22 Sep. 2026 Instant coffee intensifies sweetness and balances bitterness, creating a rich, robust chocolate profile. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2026 The Spritz, like most Aperol drinks, lean heavily into its summery qualities and try to hide the bitterness under the rug. — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 19 Sep. 2026 The final touch—a shiny ganache glaze—sets into a soft matte finish, adding sweetness and a light cocoa bitterness that perfectly complements both batters. — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2026 Rare Earth is best known for air-roasting its coffee beans, which removes the bitterness from the coffee, according to the company. — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bitterness
  1. hostility
  2. bite
  3. chill
  4. severity
  5. grudge
  6. edge
  7. chilliness
  8. anger
Noun
  • The two sides reached an interim agreement in June and committed to trying to reach a final deal within 60 days, but the deadline passed after hostilities resumed.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Rohingya have faced growing public hostility in Malaysia due to their growing numbers, fueled by concerns over jobs, public services and security.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of hostility
Noun
  • The restaurant serves a lovely breakfast on the veranda overlooking Ocean Drive as well as lunch and light bites in the piano bar in the lobby.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The frozen treat blends all the traditional flavors of pecan pie into the creamy ice cream base, giving you all the flavors of the beloved dessert in one delicious bite (and then another bite, and probably a few more, too).
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of bite
Noun
  • The sudden sense of isolation and the threat represented by the low-Hz will send a chill up your spine.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • After six days, 57% of study participants who had VYD2311 injected into the muscle of their upper arm reported headaches, chills, fatigue or pain at the injection site — the typical side effects associated with vaccinations.
    — Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of chill
Noun
  • Meta classified the incident as Sev 1, its second-highest severity level.
    — Drew Naukam, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Areas at high risk of flooding and where few people are insured tend to be poorer, experts said, as are areas where FEMA's flood maps don't properly convey the severity of the risk or mandate that enough people buy coverage.
    — MICHAEL PHILLIS, Arkansas Online, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of severity
Noun
  • Most self-help books say anger and grudges are self-defeating — there’s that line everybody uses that holding a grudge is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.
    — Lane Brown, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The gesture sets off a chain reaction, as a parade of strangers begins scribbling their own complaints, anxieties and grudges across the same tiles.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of grudge
Noun
  • To continue to compete at the cutting edge, OpenAI needs to keep raising cash.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The quick short corner surprised Greenville (6-16-5), and Barea hit the edge of the 18-yard box before lifting a cross to the far post.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 4 Oct. 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
  • Republican lawmakers -- many of them in tough election contests where soaring fuel costs are driving voter anger -- praised the agreement.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The defeat came amid protests sparked by an elderly woman’s eviction, and could deepen public anger and fuel speculation about early elections.
    — Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 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 6 Oct. 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 regimen

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
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
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All