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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in ache
Related Words
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
Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Underlying tensions are taut, Iran thinks the US blockade is a violation, the UAE is still smarting from Iranian missile attacks Monday and Tuesday, and Israel is torching a key plank of the ceasefire deal, re-escalating in Lebanon by bombing Hezbollah leaders.
—Jennifer Hansler, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The centers are also smarting from the expiration of $23 million in general fund dollars that were approved in 2022, according to Janelle Melohn with the National Alliance of Trauma Recovery Centers.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 5 May 2026
Shoppers are already smarting from financial strain, analysts from Edward Jones and EY-Parthenon said.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Soon, Goodwin began out-smarting his family.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
With the Boston Celtics in town, undoubtedly still smarting from the beatdown the Charlotte Hornets put on them earlier this month, the stage was set for another meaningful game in uptown.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
Still smarting from the Winfrey experience, Netflix approached the couple to discuss how a potential book deal would impact the release of the docuseries.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
The Clippers were coming off a blowout victory at home over the Pelicans the night before, while the Warriors had spent a day off smarting from their own blowout loss to the Lakers in Chase Center.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
The French, still smarting from the Treaty of Paris, did not.
—Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Underlying tensions are taut, Iran thinks the US blockade is a violation, the UAE is still smarting from Iranian missile attacks Monday and Tuesday, and Israel is torching a key plank of the ceasefire deal, re-escalating in Lebanon by bombing Hezbollah leaders.
—Jennifer Hansler, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The centers are also smarting from the expiration of $23 million in general fund dollars that were approved in 2022, according to Janelle Melohn with the National Alliance of Trauma Recovery Centers.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 5 May 2026
Shoppers are already smarting from financial strain, analysts from Edward Jones and EY-Parthenon said.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Soon, Goodwin began out-smarting his family.
—Doug Haller, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
With the Boston Celtics in town, undoubtedly still smarting from the beatdown the Charlotte Hornets put on them earlier this month, the stage was set for another meaningful game in uptown.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
Still smarting from the Winfrey experience, Netflix approached the couple to discuss how a potential book deal would impact the release of the docuseries.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
The Clippers were coming off a blowout victory at home over the Pelicans the night before, while the Warriors had spent a day off smarting from their own blowout loss to the Lakers in Chase Center.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smarting
Adjective
-
Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
-
The tracks are more vulnerable, biting, and self-aware than ever, and in some cases, feature lyrics pulled right out of Hjelt’s diary.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Most adults including pregnant people either have no symptoms or experience mild, flu-like illness such as fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and muscle or joint aches.—
Dr. Megan Yanny,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
As Rayo grew sicker with nausea, chills and aches, staff moved him into a cinderblock isolation cell with a surveillance camera overhead for closer monitoring and to prevent the spread of disease.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Your 2nd House of Resources faces a tug as temperamental Moon opposes aching Chiron in your 8th House of Intimacy and Resources, asking for careful boundaries.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
-
The homestretch of the drama, however, takes the story in a chilling direction, packing an aching quantity of feeling into a single glance at a security camera as someone climbs into a car and leaves the compound, never to be heard from again.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
This collection of poems—Orr’s thirteenth—bears bitter witness to environmental degradation, moral corruption, and the aging of a body and of a generation, all viewed from a bird’s eye, wrapped in the language and tone of myth.—
Craig Morgan Teicher,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
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Latest in bitter back-and-forth The sour words about each candidate’s PAC connections are only the latest in a bitter back-and-forth between the two Democrat women.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Reddemann’s not ready Bruins’ right-handed ace Logan Reddemann will be unavailable for the Los Angeles Regional with the same throwing-arm soreness that has kept him off the mound since improving his record to 8-0 in a win over Minnesota on April 17.—
Joaquin Ruiz,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
-
Rojas was announced as a scratch due to posterior elbow soreness an hour before the game started, pressing Woods Richardson back into starting duty.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
But far from hurting retail sales, Lottery officials at the time of the Legislature’s approval predicted potential benefits for brick-and-mortar outlets.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
Trap and Remove Them Using traps to catch the squirrels and relocate them is perfectly okay with the humane methods that act as a cage instead of hurting the little creature.—
Ashlyn Needham,
The Spruce,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
The entrepreneurs best positioned for the years ahead aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets or the sharpest marketing.—
Rhett Power,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
Fishermen say increasing competition has spurred a sharp rise in armed conflict, especially between fisherfolk from the Turkana and Dassanech ethnic groups.—
Tommy Trenchard,
NPR,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Down to the volatile sound design and pangs of romantic yearning, to say nothing of the first-person cinematography lensed by Dhont regular Frank van den Eeden, this movie follows Pierre’s every move from the inside out.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
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Help keep your hunger pangs at bay while on a road trip or at the office with this multi-pack of trail mixes.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smarting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smarting. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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