Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective caustic contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of caustic are acrid, mordant, and scathing. While all these words mean "stingingly incisive," caustic suggests a biting wit.

caustic comments

When is acrid a more appropriate choice than caustic?

While the synonyms acrid and caustic are close in meaning, acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence.

acrid invective

In what contexts can mordant take the place of caustic?

In some situations, the words mordant and caustic are roughly equivalent. However, mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.

mordant reviews of the play

When might scathing be a better fit than caustic?

Although the words scathing and caustic have much in common, scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity.

a scathing satire

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 caustic Benji is caustic, needling and selfish — the kind of guy who hogs the window seat, the shower and everyone’s attention. Amy Nicholson, Twin Cities, 1 Mar. 2025 No one really thinks Porter will play more than a dozen games with the Bucks before being released following (your choice; gun charges, domestic battery arrest, creating a caustic locker room, being banned by the NBA for on-court behavior, or _____) do they? Eric Nehm, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025 In part, that’s because both actors are delivering impeccable work, balancing their caustic comic chemistry with course, unbridled vulnerability. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2025 It’s been more than 40 years since Mamet’s crop of caustic salesmen first hit the Broadway stage, becoming both a darling among critics and, seemingly, the dream production of every middle-aged male actor. Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for caustic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caustic
Adjective
  • Green’s teammate, Moses Moody, gave a sarcastic response to Brooks’ assertion.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025
  • It was followed by a sarcastic post targeting Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).
    Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • That’s the premise of Douglas Is Cancelled, a cruelly funny 2024 BBC sitcom that seems very much in sync with satiric comedies such as The Office and W1A and Yes Minister.
    Air Mail, Air Mail, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Misery, a horror movie with a satiric streak, launched Bates’s film stardom.
    Tim Grierson, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Some also claim that tomatoes turn out sweeter in less acidic soil, though the sugar content of a tomato may have more to do with that.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 May 2025
  • Prep the Soil Watermelons are heavy feeders that need full sun, well-draining and slightly acidic soil, and lots of nutrients to grow.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • Also, eating large quantities of food can lead to increase acid production and acid reflux.
    Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Gastrointestinal Symptoms Fish oil may stimulate acid production in the stomach, which can cause heartburn or indigestion—especially if taken on an empty stomach.
    Amy Brownstein, MS, RDN, Verywell Health, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Negan honored his wife by naming his deadly barbed wire baseball bat after her.
    Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 5 May 2025
  • The bat wrapped in barbed wire is back in a new iteration, informing much of Negan’s journey in the Season 2.
    Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • Cruise plays all this with corrosive interiority alongside his characteristic physical stamina.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2025
  • Under Trump’s corrosive attacks, some are surrendering, Tracy Baim said.
    Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Caustic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caustic. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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