as in acerbic
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Recent Examples of sharp-tongued
Much like this Air sign, Chucky is sharp-tongued, switching between clever and terror in an instant.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
With his sharp-tongued, Vespa-riding producer Sadaf by his side, Bahram embarks on an underground mission to showcase his film to an Iranian audience, dodging government censors, absurd bureaucracy, and his own self-doubts.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 25 July 2025
The film follows Kat Stratford, a fiercely independent and sharp-tongued teenager played by Julia Stiles who has no interest in dating.
—Jane Lacroix, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Based on a copy of the script obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, those scenes depict three moments in which Rowling — portrayed as strong-willed and sharp-tongued but far from a villain — faces off with key male figures from her life: her first book editor, her abusive ex-husband and her father.
—Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 July 2024
And its theater-kid earnestness and sharp-tongued lyrics are reminiscent of another pop upstart who works with Nigro: Olivia Rodrigo.
—Shaad D’souza, New York Times, 22 May 2024
In Israel, the meticulous and sharp-tongued Mr. Zamir became a target of the nation’s questions and grief after Munich as one of the first Mossad chiefs to face intense public inquiry.
—Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2024
The critics of Measure 110 were polite but sharp-tongued.
—E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
With his sharp-tongued, Vespa-riding producer Sadaf by his side, Bahram embarks on an underground mission to showcase his film to an Iranian audience, dodging government censors, absurd bureaucracy, and his own self-doubts.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 25 July 2025
The film follows Kat Stratford, a fiercely independent and sharp-tongued teenager played by Julia Stiles who has no interest in dating.
—Jane Lacroix, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024
Based on a copy of the script obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, those scenes depict three moments in which Rowling — portrayed as strong-willed and sharp-tongued but far from a villain — faces off with key male figures from her life: her first book editor, her abusive ex-husband and her father.
—Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 July 2024
And its theater-kid earnestness and sharp-tongued lyrics are reminiscent of another pop upstart who works with Nigro: Olivia Rodrigo.
—Shaad D’souza, New York Times, 22 May 2024
In Israel, the meticulous and sharp-tongued Mr. Zamir became a target of the nation’s questions and grief after Munich as one of the first Mossad chiefs to face intense public inquiry.
—Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2024
The critics of Measure 110 were polite but sharp-tongued.
—E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sharp-tongued
Adjective
-
In her first major big-screen role since May December, an icy-blonde Natalie Portman is Polina Polinski, an ambitious gallerist gearing up for her Art Basel premiere, in this acerbic art world satire from Cathy Yan (Dead Pigs).—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
6 Jan. 2026
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Lavery’s protagonist in Meeting New People is an acerbic older woman named Barbara, who is trying to optimize her next and potentially last friendship by analyzing what went wrong with failed best friendships in the past.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
However, a touch of sardonic levity has always been part of Panahi’s storytelling.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
-
And her unfailing ability to give the perfect little sardonic wink and nod extends beyond her social media content and even beyond her impeccable performances in projects like Netflix's Too Much.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Marriage Story star first appeared as a child in an uncredited role in the Scorsese film — Ladd's first taste of major acclaim as the sarcastic waitress Flo.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 Nov. 2025
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The kicking game was so bad that Freeman sounded like Brian Kelly at his sarcastic best when asked about Noah Burnette, Erik Schmidt and Marcello Diomede combining to miss two extra points and one field goal.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Some feel that the movie’s slide into sentiment in its final scenes, with a young German barmaid singing a folk song to an inn full of battle-scarred soldiers, doesn’t quite match the caustic nature of the rest of the story.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2025
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The technology replaces harsh, high-temperature caustic bleaching with a gentler low-temperature system that preserves the cotton fiber’s natural wax layer.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
8 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Some are silky, some are spikey, and some — like the one worn by stately maidservant Hero, played by Emma Corrin — look like handkerchiefs delicately dropped from a great height onto the head of its wearer.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
5 Dec. 2025
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The tool features a base and lid designed with sharp, spikey teeth to effortlessly shred through pieces of chicken in seconds.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
28 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Underdo it, and your dish could be too dry or sour.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
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Everyone's a little sad in The Holdovers, Alexander Payne's charmingly sour comedy about a student stuck at his New England boarding school over the holidays with only his grouchy professor (Paul Giamatti) and the school cook (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) for company.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But it’s set apart from the rest of her work by a long, satirical section sending up gothic fiction and its fans.—
Erin Somers,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
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But the tone is often more satiric than somber, Park highlighting Man-su’s foibles and insecurities.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Half of my drawing was in black and white, showing a woman walking away from barbed wire and a prison tower.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Who knew barbed wire could be so interesting?—
Pam LeBlanc,
Southern Living,
3 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sharp-tongued.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sharp-tongued. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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