smarting 1 of 3

adjective

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

smarting

2 of 3

noun

as in ache

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Dissimilar Words

smarting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of smart
as in aching
to feel or cause physical pain the injection only smarted for a moment

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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 smarting
Verb
Notre Dame is 7-1, unbeaten at home and still smarting from last year’s 27-24 loss in Miami. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026 Walker ran for 69 yards on 21 carries after rumbling for 173 yards against Denver in the opener, when the Broncos missed two dozen tackles in a 31-10 loss that left them smarting. — ABC News, 1 Nov. 2026 Leo is still smarting from his ex-husband’s decision two years prior to leave him for a woman. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026 The Panthers sure hope so, because they are headed to Green Bay still smarting from what happened Sunday against a Tampa Bay team that was 1-5 entering the game. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 28 Oct. 2026 Yet Eli Drinkwitz’s team could be a tough out during its SEC home opener, still smarting from a 31-24 loss at Mississippi State after leading 24-17 entering the fourth quarter. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026 Baltimore fans are still smarting over rookie kicker Tyler Loop’s missed potential game-winning field goal in Week 18. — Mike Jones, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 On that particular day, Chiefs fans were still smarting after their team had wrapped up a 2-14 season just 48 hours earlier by being pummeled by the Broncos 38-3 in Denver. — Dominick Williams, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026 A couple of months have passed since the meetup, but the organizers are still smarting from the fallout. — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smarting
  1. biting
  2. ache
  3. aching
  4. bitter
  5. soreness
  6. hurting
  7. sharp
  8. pang
Adjective
  • Her version is louder and more biting, but never at the sacrifice of the track’s spirit.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
  • In 2022, Lee County’s Mosquito Control District decided to try aiming radiation at mosquitoes instead, specifically the biting, disease-carrying kind — Aedes aegypti.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of biting
Noun
  • Hidden in Pieces, the band’s first proper live album, leans into that ache, recasting their early friction and ferocity into tender, clear-eyed reflections.
    — Megan Buerger, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Acetaminophen or ibuprofen lowers a fever and eases body aches.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of ache
Verb
  • Some women develop aching joints, headaches or pelvic pain seemingly out of the blue during perimenopause, or the menopausal transition, while others find that existing chronic pain conditions become harder to manage.
    — Cheyenne Buckingham, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Moments of mutual support and understanding, of belly-aching laughter and silliness, of care and deep love.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of aching
Adjective
  • The Daily Caller is clearly positioning itself for a landscape not just post-midterms but post- Trump, and for a bitter and intensifying intra-party media battle.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Without that delicate balance, the character could have come off as too bitter, on one end of the spectrum, or too tragic.
    — Kristen Lopez, IndieWire, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of bitter
Noun
  • But the Knicks didn’t only rule Josh Hart out due to nagging right ankle soreness on Wednesday.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Derik Queen scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for the Pelicans, who played without Trey Murphy III (knee soreness).
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of soreness
Verb
  • The express trains would skip local stops in most communities, offering zero service to residents along the rail line while potentially hurting state and federal funding for existing systems such as the CTA and Metra that serve actual commuters.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Google's problem is that chatbots are becoming an alternative to search, leading consumers to click far fewer blue links and hurting Google's ad revenue.
    — Ari Levy, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of hurting
Adjective
  • Days after winning majorities in the House and Senate, Democrats are setting sharp priorities.
    — Pranshu Verma The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
  • San Diego is 13th in the Western Conference, a sharp decline from its conference-final appearance during its inaugural season.
    — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of sharp
Noun
  • Dining in the lounge is available all day to cater to international hunger pangs that don’t follow the same schedule as those of Spaniards.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Now, the new smaller version is available for hunger pangs between meals as many consumers are replacing traditional meals with snacks throughout the day, according to Datassential.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of pang

Browse Nearby Words

smarties
smarting
smartly
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Cite this Entry

“Smarting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smarting. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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