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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stinging
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
Beekeeping Frisco businessman Nate Sheets had a comfortable lead over three-term Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in a heated Republican primary Tuesday after roughly half the votes were tallied, a stinging initial victory in a race roiled by an unusual split at the top of the GOP.
—Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
The most stinging examples involved longtime partner and close personal friend Ryan Lindgren, and more recently, Panarin.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Those, and other comments, had surprised some onlookers, and led to author Arundhati Roy cancelling her visit to the festival and penning a stinging rebuke.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026
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
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Meta had the worst week in the group, dropping more than 11% after two stinging court defeats added to the social media company's challenges.
—Ari Levy, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates, still stinging from their unexpected Round of 16 Champions Cup elimination midweek, now turn their focus squarely on the MLS season for the next few months until the league breaks for the World Cup.
—Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
The institute and federal ocean officials say those appendages, called cerata, hold the stinging cells in a concentrated form, making the slug’s sting especially potent.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
If these stinging insects are nesting in your yard, look for the things that might be attracting wasps and learn how to keep them away.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
What hasn’t changed is his sharp, stinging guitar work.
—Thor Christensen, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
However, even with that stinging loss, Musero’s attorney is riding the wave generated by the lists coming out.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2026
Chancellor Friedrich Merz suffered a setback when his conservatives lost a regional election to the Greens, a stinging blow for the unpopular German leader compounded by a jump in support for the far right.
—Michael Nienaber, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The latter include non-stinging wasps, flies, and other insects that develop on or in a host, eventually killing it.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
Beekeeping Frisco businessman Nate Sheets had a comfortable lead over three-term Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in a heated Republican primary Tuesday after roughly half the votes were tallied, a stinging initial victory in a race roiled by an unusual split at the top of the GOP.
—Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
The most stinging examples involved longtime partner and close personal friend Ryan Lindgren, and more recently, Panarin.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Those, and other comments, had surprised some onlookers, and led to author Arundhati Roy cancelling her visit to the festival and penning a stinging rebuke.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026
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
Verb
Alcohol can be stinging and drying to the skin.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Meta had the worst week in the group, dropping more than 11% after two stinging court defeats added to the social media company's challenges.
—Ari Levy, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammates, still stinging from their unexpected Round of 16 Champions Cup elimination midweek, now turn their focus squarely on the MLS season for the next few months until the league breaks for the World Cup.
—Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
The institute and federal ocean officials say those appendages, called cerata, hold the stinging cells in a concentrated form, making the slug’s sting especially potent.
—Dante Motley, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
If these stinging insects are nesting in your yard, look for the things that might be attracting wasps and learn how to keep them away.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
What hasn’t changed is his sharp, stinging guitar work.
—Thor Christensen, Dallas Morning News, 11 Mar. 2026
However, even with that stinging loss, Musero’s attorney is riding the wave generated by the lists coming out.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2026
Chancellor Friedrich Merz suffered a setback when his conservatives lost a regional election to the Greens, a stinging blow for the unpopular German leader compounded by a jump in support for the far right.
—Michael Nienaber, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinging
Adjective
-
Much like the days getting longer and the air less biting, a sure harbinger that spring is coming is the 33rd annual West Suburban Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Naperville.—
Annie Alleman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
As the nation bonded as one over the past two weeks biting nails, screaming at wins, wincing at crashes and choking up at all the beautiful moments of Olympic competition, another group of athletes were – and still are – out honing their multi-level championship skills.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The session culminated in two new price-gouging laws.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Gillett contended the utilities were gouging the public.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The United States pulled off a daring rescue of two aviators whose fighter jet was shot down by Iran, plucking the pilot from behind enemy lines before setting off a complicated extraction of the second service member who hid deep in the mountains as Tehran called for Iranians to help capture him.—
Seung Min Kim,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Michigan coach Dusty May had made the most of the transfer portal, plucking players out of it in each of his two years to remarkably rebuild a program that lost a school-record 24 games two years ago before firing former Fab Five player Juwan Howard.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Coming in tandem with currently skyrocketing oil prices and new sets of tariffs imposed by the president to replace the earlier ones, this situation is an especially bitter pill for low-income and even average families whose budgets are already stressed.—
Robert Hormats,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Hemp vs marijuana The hemp industry and the licensed marijuana industry have been in a bitter battle.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Most people would agree that cheating and planning a school shooting are hardly equal offenses, and Borgli doesn't totally stick the landing by sweeping Emma's past impulses under the rug.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
In the past, Bravo has resumed filming when controversies including its shows have arisen, most notably with the Vanderpump Rules season 10 cheating scandal called Scandoval.—
McKinley Franklin,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The videos have pulled back the curtain on ingredient shifts across some of the company’s most recognizable products — and a surging cocoa market that’s squeezing the entire candy industry.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Pios led 4-1 after a period and put the clamps down, methodically squeezing the clock and the Broncos’ hopes of a repeat title, a shift at a time.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The graph showed a flat line with a single sharp spike in the middle.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Bird replaced Cruz but wasn’t any sharper, walking Otto Lopez on four pitches and then plunking pinch-hitter Griffin Conine to load the bases.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
My favorite corner housed the freestanding soaking tub, where Blue Lagoon bath salts sit on a side table for easy access.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Lentils don't need soaking, so once your ingredients are prepped and ready, simply toss them in your slow cooker before going about your day.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinging. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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