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
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Recent Examples of sting
Zack Meisel, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Prosecutors allege Eichorn, who represented District 6 before resigning in March 2025, responded to an online prostitution ad that was part of a sting by Bloomington police and other law enforcement.
—Frankie McLister, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 17 May 2026
Paul took it on the chin, while admitting that the bad reviews stung.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sting
Noun
The closing scene, from Cleveland’s perspective, was pain, the sting of a blown 3-1 series lead and the screeching halt of an improbable, magical journey.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Prosecutors allege Eichorn, who represented District 6 before resigning in March 2025, responded to an online prostitution ad that was part of a sting by Bloomington police and other law enforcement.
—Frankie McLister, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Verb
President Jimmy Carter, stung by that generation’s problems with the Gulf producers, hailed us as the Saudi Arabia of coal and pressured utilities to build coal plants, hence the 50% of the grid that was coal.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 17 May 2026
Paul took it on the chin, while admitting that the bad reviews stung.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sting
Noun
-
Fruit extracts clarify excess oil and buildup, while a cooling mint complex and menthol deliver a refreshing tingle, leaving your scalp feeling clean, balanced, and freshly reset.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
20 May 2026
-
O’Neal wrote about delinquents – characters whose exploits, their power, induced a creeping tingle on the back of your neck.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But his eventual unraveling included accusations of misappropriated funds, his resignation, a bizarre alleged suicide-for-hire and insurance scam plot, a stint in rehab for drug addiction, dozens of financial crimes, his disbarment and, ultimately, the murder charges.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
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According to court documents, Yves Bouvier purchased the work for $60 million privately from Sotheby’s, then sold it to Dmitry Rybolovlev for $85 million, part of the series of markups that constituted the alleged scam.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
But these concerns have not gone unnoticed, as a bill is currently making its way through the California General Assembly that aims to cap resale prices as a way to limit ticket brokers and resale platforms from price-gouging fans.—
Noe Padilla,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
Run a putty knife along the wet popcorn ceiling to scrape off the popcorn texture, but be careful to avoid gouging the ceiling with the corner of the putty knife.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There’s no foraging, no organic garden to pluck basil and chili peppers from, no local butchery next door…and if there isn’t enough food flown in to account for multi-day weather delays?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 May 2026
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The aftermath of one of Otto’s decisions gives Beever as Léna some rich material to work through, but strands Machado-Graner to an extent, including in a short subplot that feels like it was plucked from an entirely different screenplay.—
Josh Slater-Williams,
IndieWire,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Among the symptoms people reported were gastrointestinal illness, fever, general malaise, pneumonia, fatigue, aches and respiratory symptoms.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
The man sought medical care twice — first with a fever, muscle aches, chills, headache and fatigue, then with vomiting and diarrhea.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
The appeals court that ordered a trial court to reconsider Peters' sentence said the trial judge's consideration of her belief in the existence of 2020 election fraud went beyond what was relevant to sentencing her.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
-
Dana Williamson, former top aide to Newsom, pleaded guilty in an FBI corruption probe to bank fraud, filing a false tax return and lying to the FBI.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
But a subtler disruption is occurring underneath the cheating concerns and efficiency metrics.—
Shannon McKeen,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
Saints tried to cheat to get the win, but referee Charles Robinson caught him and stopped his count.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
On the Right, Israel is being squeezed by a smaller faction of the Make America Great Again movement that wants to pare back all American foreign aid.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
16 May 2026
-
Gas prices are continuing to squeeze drivers at the pump.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sting. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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