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
Relevance
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinging
Adjective
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Katy Perry is continuing to catch strays, this time from the most biting demographic of all: the pop girlie fandom.—
Jessica Wang,
EW.com,
2 May 2025 -
During the taping of a recent Netflix special, Kyle Dunnigan impersonated Musk onstage in a biting parody—the audience laughed, but Rogan sat mostly silent, avoiding eye contact, appearing unwilling to signal disloyalty to the tech mogul.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The harmony of flavors—including sweet tomatoes and cider, bitter radishes, spicy greens, umami Parmesan, and salty finishing flakes—kept me going back for bite after bite.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2025
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These final years are sometimes treated as a lost period, because Twain’s writing grew bitter and cynical and unpalatable to those more interested in pleasing escapades.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
9 May 2025
Verb
-
Lars Baron/Getty Images/Getty Images Europe The ski jumping world remains embroiled in controversy stemming from a cheating scandal that was announced this week, initially involving a few members of the Norwegian team.—
Manuela López Restrepo,
NPR,
14 Mar. 2025
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Netflix’s first season of Temptation Island was filled with cheating men, frustrated women, and lots of flashing red lights as folks repeatedly hooked up in an outdoor tent.—
Dalton Ross,
EW.com,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Utilizing exceptional command and a sharp plan of attack, Fedde dominated his former team in his first appearance back at Nationals Park since his final season with Washington in 2022.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
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The bearish or negative divergence has been closely monitored, as in my A/D line analysis, a drop below support at line c would have forecasted a sharper decline.—
Tom Aspray,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
Verb
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Rice water is a starchy liquid that results from soaking the grain in water or cooking it in water, Khetarpal explains.—
Olivia Munson,
USA TODAY,
7 Jan. 2025
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Consider soaking the area with a warm, wet compress before applying.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Gators still easily picked up Todd Golden’s first NCAA tournament victory and the program’s first win in the Big Dance since beating Virginia Tech in 2021.—
Edgar Thompson,
Orlando Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2025
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Micron Technology — The semiconductor stock slid almost 4% despite beating Wall Street expectations for earnings in the fiscal second quarter and offering strong guidance.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Pope made sure to share the celebration again, jogging to find his wife and daughters behind the bench for a long embrace before hustling to a TV interview.—
Jesse Temple,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
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Rayah Marshall attacked the rim before hustling to the back of the player’s line.—
Benjamin Royer,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The tactic makes sense to prevent darker pigments from bleeding onto the lighter items.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Dec. 2024
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Instead, the bruises and bleeding in the child’s brain were the lingering result of a traumatic birth.—
Bayliss Wagner,
Austin American-Statesman,
20 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Stinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinging. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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