1
as in tingle
a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body
the sting of cold air against my face
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in scam
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
the pawn shop operation turned out to be a sting by undercover police officers to catch the ring of burglars
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
2
as in to pluck
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
swindlers who sting unwary tourists by posing as officials demanding money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of sting
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2026
But there could be a sting in the tail for buyers expecting Neo-like performance.
—Barry Collins, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
The keen scent of the fall breeze with its hint of snow now swept down the valley and stung our faces.
—Anton Money, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sting
Noun
Carpenter ants, for example, can damage buildings by tunneling into wood, while fire ants are infamous for their painful stings and bites.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2026
But there could be a sting in the tail for buyers expecting Neo-like performance.
—Barry Collins, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Verb
All that said, the inability of Illinois’ political leaders to get their act together so as to put an alternative on the table in the face of Indiana’s aggressive move to poach the Bears is a stinging indictment of this state’s politicians.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
The keen scent of the fall breeze with its hint of snow now swept down the valley and stung our faces.
—Anton Money, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sting
Noun
-
In the case of Putnam County, that tingle is a roar — our collective sense that the fraud there goes back decades.—
Paul Solotaroff,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2026
-
But an adventure conjoined with a lover, whether breaking studio rules with Tony Curtis or tracking down John Dillinger in the person of Lawrence Tierney, never failed to activate a reckless tingle in me.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The whole story is wild to read, and proof that scams, both online and on your phone, are big business and can make big money.—
Alan Henry,
PC Magazine,
29 May 2026
-
Scammers can create an AI replica of someone’s voice using a short recording of their speech — often pulled from social media or an earlier scam call that was surreptitiously recorded.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Despite more than 2,000 county gouging complaints and an Altadena family’s lawsuit alleging illegally tripled rent, officials say regular market forces and existing rent controls will now dictate prices.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
Adele got a nonspeaking part in the human machine that would gouge the prisoner’s sentence into the officer’s body.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Go ahead and pluck away without the stress.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
10 June 2026
-
Elsewhere on the ruby red carpet, Greta Lee paid homage to beloved cowgirl, Jessie, brought to life by Joan Cusack in all five films, wearing a red and white spherical, one-shoulder gown plucked straight from the Christian Dior spring 2026 couture runway.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
The loss of Joseph Ossai might sting a little, but the potential production from Maye and Lawrence should dull the ache.—
Gladys Louise Tyler,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
Mpox, a viral illness formerly known as monkeypox, generally starts with flu-like symptoms – fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, headaches and backaches.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Americans for Prosperity sponsored a striking display in the DECC’s Pioneer Hall, demonstrating the scale of the state’s fraud losses with faux $100 bills stacked in volumes that would total $2 billion.—
Jay Gabler,
Twin Cities,
30 May 2026
-
The authors then matched high-fraud ZIP codes to areas with fast-appreciating home prices.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
With no one coming to save him, Santi learned to save himself — cheating cards, running schemes, talking his way into and out of everything.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
-
People are robbed, assaulted and cheated.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Attendees seemed keen to squeeze as much networking as possible out of the gala, often chatting with their associates and neighbors during speakers’ remarks.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
6 June 2026
-
Fuel supplies squeezed Russian emergency services acknowledged Saturday that a fire had broken out at the oil depot in Krasnodar.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sting. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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