as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
we had to press on, despite the smarting sleet that was blowing in our faces
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ache
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Dissimilar Words
as in aching
to feel or cause physical pain
the injection only smarted for a moment
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of smarting
Adam Beam, AJC.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Last summer, Edwards was smarting again from a 4-1 loss to the Thunder in the conference finals.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
While Golden State arrived in Brooklyn still smarting from Sunday’s overtime loss in Toronto, the Nets entered Monday having won three in a row and having gone 7-3 in December.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
Though Maia’s apparently now crushing being Tallulah’s manager in terms of getting her lucrative deal$, Tallulah’s still smarting from the embarrassment of her cheesy Ritz ad, leaving her unmotivated to keep going with whatever new ideas Maia puts in front of her.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
Luxury Retail Remade Saks Global might have started off 2025 in a hole, with many vendors smarting over money still owed for past orders and reluctant to ship fresh goods to the retailer, but the trends have been getting better.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2025
Simashev was smarting and vulnerable.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025
Baltimore is smarting from that Monday home loss to Deroit -- but Crows would be 3-0 if not for a pair of Derrick Henry fumbles.
—Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
The bill didn’t specifically target card rooms, but the tribes’ rival gambling establishments, still smarting from last year’s legislative defeat, worried their competitors would find a way to use the pending law against them.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
McNeel spent more than the rest of the GOP field combined and was backed by the trial lawyers still smarting over last year’s litigation overhaul.
—Adam Beam, AJC.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Last summer, Edwards was smarting again from a 4-1 loss to the Thunder in the conference finals.
—Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
While Golden State arrived in Brooklyn still smarting from Sunday’s overtime loss in Toronto, the Nets entered Monday having won three in a row and having gone 7-3 in December.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025
Though Maia’s apparently now crushing being Tallulah’s manager in terms of getting her lucrative deal$, Tallulah’s still smarting from the embarrassment of her cheesy Ritz ad, leaving her unmotivated to keep going with whatever new ideas Maia puts in front of her.
—Caroline Framke, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
Luxury Retail Remade Saks Global might have started off 2025 in a hole, with many vendors smarting over money still owed for past orders and reluctant to ship fresh goods to the retailer, but the trends have been getting better.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2025
Simashev was smarting and vulnerable.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025
Baltimore is smarting from that Monday home loss to Deroit -- but Crows would be 3-0 if not for a pair of Derrick Henry fumbles.
—Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
The bill didn’t specifically target card rooms, but the tribes’ rival gambling establishments, still smarting from last year’s legislative defeat, worried their competitors would find a way to use the pending law against them.
—Calmatters, Oc Register, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smarting
Adjective
-
The Chill Factor Perhaps the most biting statistic of the season so far is the temperature.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Morbidly Jewish finds Raanan at his most biting, acerbic, angry, Jewish, and, as always…loud.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Literally — rise up by elevating yourself in bed, courtesy of Coop Sleep Goods’ Adjustable Wedge Pillow, which can unblock breathing, alleviate everything from acid reflux to back aches, and, when propped under your legs, do wonders in the swelling department.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
6 Feb. 2026
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Some signs of withdrawal from kratom might include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle/joint aches, restlessness, runny nose, excessive yawning, and hot or cold flashes.—
Gary Kirkilas II,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The medley for winter-weary Americans has included everything from aching backs from shoveling to sore throats to frozen noses.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Toward the end of the track, when Beverly and Elizabeth’s voices blend together, the singing begins to feel spiritual, more like a prayer for an aching world than an ode to those who must endure it.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Its leader, Tarique Rahman, the son of former prime minister and bitter Hasina rival, the late Khaleda Zia, has since returned to Bangladesh after 17 years of exile and now appears the frontrunner to win.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Their 32 points after 25 games have them one above their Sunday hosts and bitter rivals in 13th place in the Premier League, nine clear of the relegation zone.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Luka Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, left the Lakers’ game against Philadelphia in the second quarter because of left leg soreness and did not return.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
McBride, who had missed the Knicks‘ last four games with what the team called left ankle soreness, is reportedly expected to undergo surgery to address a core muscle injury and could miss the rest of the regular season.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That said, a season-ending injury to Zach Charbonnet leaves the Seahawks with only one dangerous runner, and Kenneth Walker is more adept at hurting defenses inside than on the edges, where the Patriots are weakest.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
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Cornyn is in a heated primary against state Attorney General Ken Paxton; both parties think a Paxton win would make the seat far more competitive, hurting the party nationally.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That's partly correlation -- healthier people are more likely to work than sicker people -- but staying in the workplace can also help people stay sharp, according to Debra Whitman, chief public policy officer for AARP.—
Paige Winfield Cunningham The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The tension in a luge sled allows athletes to manipulate it just so, digging in the runners and steering with sharp precision around curves.—
Lindsay Schnell,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The album’s Bandcamp blurb shouts out Ghédalia Tarzatès, the late French composer who collaged his wails and lamentations in the endangered Ladino language to evoke pangs of existential angst.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026
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Everyone’s blood sugar levels sporadically spike, and that’s normal, but keeping it steady helps prevent energy crashes, hunger pangs, and mood swings, Dardarian says.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Outside,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smarting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smarting. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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