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 But Lloyd’s version brims with mordancy. — Sarah Weinman, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2023 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
  • Delicate notes of wild berries complement the citrusy hop character and crisp, dry finish, creating a perfect balance of fruity flavor and bitterness.
    — Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 21 July 2026
  • That path can lead to feelings of disappointment, bitterness and resentment.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of bitterness
Noun
  • The report also examined whether models could achieve arbitrary code execution (ACE)—a high-severity exploit outcome that allows attackers to take control of a target system.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
  • If you’re offered surgery, ask specifically whether endoscopic decompression is an option and what your electrodiagnostic results say about severity.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026
Definition of severity
Noun
  • Examining the harder chapters of our history is not the same as hostility toward America.
    — Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 21 July 2026
  • The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on June 14 to halt hostilities, prompting gas to fall back below $4 a few days later.
    — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 20 July 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
  • So after all that — all the bile oozing out from those tweets — the thing people were mad about wasn’t even true.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 18 July 2026
  • Employees told Fillmore during the early 2022 meeting that Shapiro had recently injured a patient’s common bile duct, a small tube that carries bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine, during surgery.
    — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 16 July 2026
Definition of bile
Noun
  • But on Wednesday, the jury in the latest trial found that MGA had not acted with malice, meaning no punitive damages would be awarded.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 2 July 2026
  • The company’s own investigation points less to malice than to a process that never engaged.
    — Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of malice
Noun
  • Jennifer Wedel, whose daughter graduated from Heritage Christian Academy, has been outspoken about her frustration and anger at Eric Crawford allowing his son to work around children.
    — Rachel Royster July 23, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
  • Much of the public’s anger was directed at Syrskyi, who became a symbol of deeper frustrations that had accumulated within the military since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 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 26 Jul. 2026.

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