Synonyms of mordant

mordant

adjective

ˈmȯr-dᵊnt 

as in satiric

marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings

a mordant review of the movie that compared it to having one's teeth pulled for two hours

Synonyms & Similar Words

• satiric
• satirical
• sarcastic
• acid
• acidic
• barbed
• caustic
• sardonic
• biting
• acerbic
• corrosive
• acrid
• pungent
• acidulous
• scathing
• tart
• ironic
• ironical
• sharp
• cynical
• cutting
• acerb
• smart-aleck
• snarky
• smart-alecky
• scalding
• harsh
• wry
• trenchant
• incisive
• sour
• smart-mouthed
• poignant
• blunt
• dry
• concise
• spiky
• cross
• severe
• flippant
• brisk
• facetious
• vitriolic
• pithy
• sharp-tongued
• keen
• sourish
• stringent
• curt
• acrimonious
• gruff
• bitter
• abrupt
• tongue-in-cheek
• spikey
• brusque
• terse
• succinct
• resentful
• tartish
• crisp
• backhanded
• insincere
• rough
• brusk
• snippy
• snippety

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• amusing
• playful
• mild
• merry
• gentle
• droll
• waggish
• bland
• diplomatic
• sportive
• smooth
• polite
• urbane
• good-natured
• hospitable
• gracious
• cordial
• genial
• good-humored
• affable
• suave
• sociable

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective mordant contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of mordant are acrid, caustic, and scathing. While all these words mean "stingingly incisive," mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.

mordant reviews of the play

When might acrid be a better fit than mordant?

The synonyms acrid and mordant are sometimes interchangeable, but acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence.

acrid invective

When would caustic be a good substitute for mordant?

The meanings of caustic and mordant largely overlap; however, caustic suggests a biting wit.

caustic comments

When can scathing be used instead of mordant?

While in some cases nearly identical to mordant, scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity.

a scathing satire

Examples of mordant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Dolly Alderton is something of a modern-day Nora Ephron, bringing a fresh and mordant perspective to the eternal struggle between the sexes. —Chloe Schama, Vogue, 18 July 2024

There is a mordant joke among leftists that liberals support every resistance movement except the ones unfolding in the present tense. —Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024

As a guy who’s always thrived on his negative mojo, these songs bring out all his mordant humor. —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2024

The book is a mordant accounting of Hitler’s establishment enablers, from the right-wing media magnate Alfred Hugenberg to General Kurt von Schleicher, two of many characters who schemed to use him as a stalking horse for their own ambitions. —The New Yorker, 12 June 2024

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