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
Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Coming up short in the 2025 ISL boys lacrosse championship left a stinging sensation for Tabor Academy.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 17 May 2026
Parasitoids are non-stinging wasps, flies, and other insects that develop on or in a host, eventually killing it.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
My eyes, raw and stinging, now filled with their own salty tears.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
The scientists found both were composed of a fibrous material that contained many stinging cells called spirocysts, which belong exclusively to the branch of aquatic invertebrates known as cnidarians.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
Andrew Lichtenstein | Corbis News | Getty Images The Senate on Thursday overturned a mining moratorium in Minnesota's Superior National Forest, a boon for a Chilean mining company subsidiary and a stinging loss for environmentalists trying to protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
What’s known as burning or stinging nettles has hairs along the stems that release a stinging, burning compound when touched.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 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
Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Sacramento Stingers California’s capital city has a number of prominent entities represented by flying, stinging insects.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
One is that the stinging rhetoric will leave lasting images in our minds, even following the inauguration.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
Wirtz went out for a meal with Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Milos Kerkez last weekend, some 24 hours after the Egyptian had caused a stir with his stinging critique of the team’s performances on social media.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 23 May 2026
Rain pounds down in a stinging curtain.
—Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
Despite a series of stinging gerrymandering losses, Democrats remain favored to take back the House.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 18 May 2026
How to Identify Peach Tree Borers Adult peach tree borers resemble stinging wasps, an evolutionary trick designed to scare away predators.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 14 May 2026
Bees stinging me everywhere, including underneath my shirt.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
Adjective
Jean-Philippe Mateta, named in France’s World Cup squad earlier this month, reacted superbly after Rayo keeper Augusto Batalla could only parry a stinging Wharton shot from the edge of the box.
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 27 May 2026
Coming up short in the 2025 ISL boys lacrosse championship left a stinging sensation for Tabor Academy.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 17 May 2026
Parasitoids are non-stinging wasps, flies, and other insects that develop on or in a host, eventually killing it.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
My eyes, raw and stinging, now filled with their own salty tears.
—Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
The scientists found both were composed of a fibrous material that contained many stinging cells called spirocysts, which belong exclusively to the branch of aquatic invertebrates known as cnidarians.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
Andrew Lichtenstein | Corbis News | Getty Images The Senate on Thursday overturned a mining moratorium in Minnesota's Superior National Forest, a boon for a Chilean mining company subsidiary and a stinging loss for environmentalists trying to protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
What’s known as burning or stinging nettles has hairs along the stems that release a stinging, burning compound when touched.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 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
Verb
Fallout from the scandal, compounded by the Labor Party’s stinging local election losses, has tanked Starmer’s poll numbers.
—Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Sacramento Stingers California’s capital city has a number of prominent entities represented by flying, stinging insects.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
One is that the stinging rhetoric will leave lasting images in our minds, even following the inauguration.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
Wirtz went out for a meal with Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Milos Kerkez last weekend, some 24 hours after the Egyptian had caused a stir with his stinging critique of the team’s performances on social media.
—James Pearce, New York Times, 23 May 2026
Rain pounds down in a stinging curtain.
—Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
Despite a series of stinging gerrymandering losses, Democrats remain favored to take back the House.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 18 May 2026
How to Identify Peach Tree Borers Adult peach tree borers resemble stinging wasps, an evolutionary trick designed to scare away predators.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 14 May 2026
Bees stinging me everywhere, including underneath my shirt.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinging
Adjective
-
Netflix’s big comedy bet might be the Dan Levy–Rachel Sennott co-creation Big Mistakes; the biting, farcical series about adult siblings who get caught up in the drug business plays like Weeds crossed with The Other Two.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
-
The tracks are more vulnerable, biting, and self-aware than ever, and in some cases, feature lyrics pulled right out of Hjelt’s diary.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 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
-
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
Verb
-
No plucking figures from the sky.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
The only thing that prevented a shutout was Ross Colton plucking in a rebound off Brent Burns’ sniper off Hart’s chest.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
23 May 2026
Adjective
-
To be whole without the effort of stretching oneself out, without the exercise that leaves a bitter taste.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
Kennedy’s efforts showed how bitter rivals could nevertheless work toward a common goal.—
Abigail R. Hall,
Oc Register,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Welker asked Trump about his cheating claims.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
-
Cooper’s girlfriend accused Cooper of cheating and threw his phone against a wall of Cooper’s apartment, according to the affidavit.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
Carting around unhappy campers in 100-degree weather and squeezing work into a shorter window is not exactly being poolside with a marg.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
4 June 2026
-
The defense is disciplined, squeezing pressure from its trio of wings.—
Esfandiar Baraheni,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Things take a sharp pivot when Liz and Dolores arrive at the Rhode Island State House.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
-
Ben-Gvir has come under sharp condemnation from other Israeli leaders for making controversial videos, such as his treatment of flotilla activists who were detained after attempting to break the maritime blockade of Gaza.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The Italian marble bathrooms have plush towels, Maison Francis Kurkdjian products, and (in all except the entry level rooms), both a deep soaking waterfall tub and separate shower.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
And finally, there’s compassion—doing good for nature, not just soaking it up.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinging. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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