as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
these cold, stinging winds are not just a discomfort—they can be dangerous to exposed flesh
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in gouging
to charge (someone) too much for goods or services
a nightclub that's been stinging patrons for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plucking
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 stinging
Corinne S Kennedy, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 25 Jan. 2026
The itchy rash is accompanied by intense stinging, pain, and burning.
—Fara Rosenzweig, Outside, 24 Jan. 2026
Powell disclosed it with a stinging online rebuke last Sunday.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026
The more stinging irony here is that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping probably approved these public statements with a chuckle.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
Justice Benjamin Curtis, from Massachusetts, wrote a stinging dissent and resigned from the Court shortly afterward, reportedly in part because of the decision.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent oversaw a series of unorthodox steps aimed at stabilizing Argentine assets after the peso had plunged in the wake of Milei’s party suffering a stinging defeat in a key provincial ballot last month.
—Daniel Flatley, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Terry Smith will serve as the interim head coach for the rest of the season for the Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten), who began the year with hopes of winning the national title only to have those hopes evaporate by early October with three consecutive losses, each one more stinging than the last.
—Travis Johnson, Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2025
In the end, however, Disney handed a stinging defeat to Peltz.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2025
Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
Luhmann, who traveled from Illinois to Minnesota to document the immigration enforcement surge, said his hands were stinging from the different smoke bombs and pepper sprays deployed that day.
—Minneapolis Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
When treating frostbite at this stage, a person might feel stinging, burning and swelling in the affected area.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Jan. 2026
University of Miami fans, still stinging after a dramatic loss to Indiana in the national championship football game, turned their attention to the men’s basketball team on Tuesday night.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
But a lackluster performance during that fall's vice presidential debate did little to help the party avoid stinging losses in November 2024.
—Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
The 31-year-old was among dozens who braved stinging brain freeze to win an exclusive Snow King foldable bag.
—Theodora Yu, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025
That’s stinging Americans’ wallets, and many aren’t expecting relief anytime soon.
—Jarrod Barry, NBC news, 24 Nov. 2025
The idea of swarms of stinging insects may have once sent nearby residents hurrying indoors.
—Kansas City Star, 14 Nov. 2025
Adjective
After a stinging loss at Wichita State over the weekend, Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway is still figuring out why the Tigers aren't playing their best.
—Corinne S Kennedy, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 25 Jan. 2026
The itchy rash is accompanied by intense stinging, pain, and burning.
—Fara Rosenzweig, Outside, 24 Jan. 2026
Powell disclosed it with a stinging online rebuke last Sunday.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026
The more stinging irony here is that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping probably approved these public statements with a chuckle.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
Justice Benjamin Curtis, from Massachusetts, wrote a stinging dissent and resigned from the Court shortly afterward, reportedly in part because of the decision.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent oversaw a series of unorthodox steps aimed at stabilizing Argentine assets after the peso had plunged in the wake of Milei’s party suffering a stinging defeat in a key provincial ballot last month.
—Daniel Flatley, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Terry Smith will serve as the interim head coach for the rest of the season for the Nittany Lions (3-3, 0-3 Big Ten), who began the year with hopes of winning the national title only to have those hopes evaporate by early October with three consecutive losses, each one more stinging than the last.
—Travis Johnson, Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2025
In the end, however, Disney handed a stinging defeat to Peltz.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
Nedeljkovic could be back in net Saturday afternoon when the Sharks (27-21-4) play the Calgary Flames (21-26-6), hoping to bounce back from a stinging 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
Luhmann, who traveled from Illinois to Minnesota to document the immigration enforcement surge, said his hands were stinging from the different smoke bombs and pepper sprays deployed that day.
—Minneapolis Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
When treating frostbite at this stage, a person might feel stinging, burning and swelling in the affected area.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Jan. 2026
University of Miami fans, still stinging after a dramatic loss to Indiana in the national championship football game, turned their attention to the men’s basketball team on Tuesday night.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
But a lackluster performance during that fall's vice presidential debate did little to help the party avoid stinging losses in November 2024.
—Hunter Woodall, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
The 31-year-old was among dozens who braved stinging brain freeze to win an exclusive Snow King foldable bag.
—Theodora Yu, Fortune, 3 Dec. 2025
That’s stinging Americans’ wallets, and many aren’t expecting relief anytime soon.
—Jarrod Barry, NBC news, 24 Nov. 2025
The idea of swarms of stinging insects may have once sent nearby residents hurrying indoors.
—Kansas City Star, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinging
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
Verb
-
The price-gouging allegation dates back to the early months of the pandemic, when panic over shortages led to massive supermarket shopping sprees, and some products, such as eggs, saw sharp price increases.—
Imelda García,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Those dollars have been won through cases the district attorney has joined against major corporations, including price-gouging lawsuits against Walmart and Lowe’s, an environmental lawsuit against Tesla and a case alleging deceptive business practices by HelloFresh, a meal-kit subscription company.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Or plucking Tater Tots straight off the baking sheet and then wiping your hands on your pants.—
Alyssa Brandt,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Caitlin Looby Last August, Lauren Isbell dove around Mott Island Dock at Isle Royale National Park, plucking invasive zebra mussels from the lakebed – sometimes with her fingers, other times with a credit-card sized piece of plastic attached to a lanyard on her wrist.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This is a fairly faithful rendition of the original, with bushy broccoli rabe as the bitter green of choice.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
-
After their murders, their families sat in the bitter cold and grieved, waiting for the prime minister, Imran Khan, to come and mourn with them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There was a time in sports — and in life — when the worst thing you could be accused of was cheating.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Medal reallocations have historically surfaced after doping or other cheating cases, but Chiles’ dispute centered on an apparent error by the International Gymnastics Federation, the sport’s governing body.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The solar sector has been grappling with a prolonged price slump and oversupply, squeezing margins even as leading producers continue to add capacity.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2026
-
For generations, Americans who wanted orange juice without the work of squeezing fresh fruit cracked open a can and watched a cylinder of frozen juice go ker-plunk into a pitcher.—
Dee-Ann Durbin,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
At the same time, China has been trading sharp diplomatic warnings with Japan after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would compel a military response from Tokyo, further underscoring how the issue is drawing in multiple regional and global powers.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The blue sky, the contrast of snow and dark winter trees and the sharp air just puts me right.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This sparse design extends into the rooms that are dressed in desert hues, with floating beds in the center of the room, walk-in showers, and private balconies that look onto the pool; some also have soaking tubs.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Jan. 2026
-
It has been suggested soaking the seeds in warm water for 24 hours can wash off the coating and speed growth.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinging. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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