mordancy

noun

ˈmȯr-dᵊn(t)-sē How to pronounce mordancy (audio)
Definition of mordancynext
as in bitterness
biting sharpness of feeling or expression the surprising mordancy with which the two physicians contested each other's claim to having discovered an effective vaccine for polio

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 mordancy The gray-tint, cross-hatched drawings evoke George Cruikshank and Samuel Palmer, but the mordancy is vintage Sendak. — The Week Staff, The Week, 17 Oct. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mordancy
  1. bitterness
  2. severity
  3. hostility
  4. virulency
  5. virulence
  6. bile
  7. malice
  8. anger
Noun
  • The salmoriglio, a Calabrian condiment with garlic and herbs similar to chimichurri, features dandelion greens, their bitterness a counter to some of the sweetness.
    — Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The amateur is freed from the pressures of exhibition and sale, but that might just as easily breed bitterness as happiness.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of bitterness
Noun
  • And dry forests and parched soils significantly increase the likelihood and severity of wildfires.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The increasing frequency and severity of combinations like drought and flooding are what climate breakdown is all about.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of severity
Noun
  • Hatred toward minorities is not new in America, but the recent surge in hostility aimed at Indian Americans is staggering.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Riyadh said the discussions were aimed at keeping diplomatic channels open and preventing another escalation in hostilities.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of hostility
Noun
  • The virulency of Covid-19 trained even those of us who shop locally out of principal to purchase online.
    — Marc Peruzzi, Outside Online, 2 Mar. 2021
Definition of virulency
Noun
  • Firefighters and authorities in both European countries were caught off guard by the virulence of the fires, which were fueled by high temperatures and the long-term effects of climate change.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
  • The virulence of the French and Spanish wildfires, fueled by high temperatures and the long-term effects of climate change, caught fire crews and authorities off guard.
    — Mark Carlson, Fortune, 25 July 2026
Definition of virulence
Noun
  • Stomach Bile In one sequence of the film, Jay finds himself in the whale’s stomach bile.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Her words are not of gratitude but resentment, bile and narcissism.
    — Deputy Managing Editor, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of bile
Noun
  • The Court finds Defendant could not have responded to these instances of 'actual malice' in the First Amended Complaint, as they were not framed as such.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In October, a Newton County grand jury indicted 43-year-old Taiesha Wilson on charges of malice murder, murder, concealing the death of another, identity theft, and more.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of malice
Noun
  • Industry support When Corral’s exit from Movistar Plus was announced last year, there was an outpouring of anger, grief and concern from Spain’s creative community that is rarely afforded to a commissioning executive.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The person reading the issue lowered it to reveal a face tense with anger, devilishly exaggerated by his thin black beard and mustache.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of anger

Browse Nearby Words

morbidness
mordancy
mordant
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Cite this Entry

“Mordancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mordancy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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