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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of stinging
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
All that and the Lakers – who were left scrambling after the Klaw left them hanging – threw together a squad of role-embracing vets who handled the bubble like pros and won the franchise its 17th title, a swift and stinging rebuttal.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 4 Sep. 2025
Redness, stinging, swelling13 7.
—Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 27 Aug. 2025
They are known to be foraging predators with tentacles that hold highly poisonous stinging cells, used for both hunting and self-defense, explains the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
The Cubs are falling further back from first place in the NL Central, the White Sox are 44-78, and Clarendon Hills suffered a stinging defeat in their opening game of the Little League World Series, losing 16-1.
—Grace Miserocchi, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Perhaps the loss, coupled with seeing Parsons thrive in Green Bay as the Packers get off to a hot start, is stinging the Cowboys’ top cornerback in Week 1.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Justice Sonia Sotomayor delivered a stinging rebuke of the Supreme Court's decision to clear the way to allow sweeping immigration operations in Los Angeles.
—Andrew Stanton
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
This interaction damages skin cells and can trigger irritation, redness, stinging or burning.
—Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
Lapham also talked about the high of winning the AFC Championship in 1981, followed by the stinging loss to San Francisco in Super Bowl 16.
—Beryl Love, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025
One resident offers a stinging rebuke to the journalists who stake their careers on tragedy.
—Book Marks
august 28, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Along the Nantucket Sound shoreline, researchers believe massive groups of unusually large moon jellyfish — a species long thought to be harmless to people — have been stinging many swimmers in nearby Cape Cod towns.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025
Find out about the equipment and site(s) needed to get started with your own adventure with these stinging insects that produce delicious honey and useful beeswax.
—Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
While Bernhardt praises her gifts, the French diva doesn’t hold back in her stinging criticism of the production, calling it the same old prewar Italian theater, out of touch with the times.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
All that and the Lakers – who were left scrambling after the Klaw left them hanging – threw together a squad of role-embracing vets who handled the bubble like pros and won the franchise its 17th title, a swift and stinging rebuttal.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 4 Sep. 2025
Redness, stinging, swelling13 7.
—Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 27 Aug. 2025
They are known to be foraging predators with tentacles that hold highly poisonous stinging cells, used for both hunting and self-defense, explains the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
The Cubs are falling further back from first place in the NL Central, the White Sox are 44-78, and Clarendon Hills suffered a stinging defeat in their opening game of the Little League World Series, losing 16-1.
—Grace Miserocchi, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
It’s revealed that Sklar was Lori’s inspiration as a child to become an artist, only to crush that spark a dozen or so years later with stinging cruelty.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Perhaps the loss, coupled with seeing Parsons thrive in Green Bay as the Packers get off to a hot start, is stinging the Cowboys’ top cornerback in Week 1.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Justice Sonia Sotomayor delivered a stinging rebuke of the Supreme Court's decision to clear the way to allow sweeping immigration operations in Los Angeles.
—Andrew Stanton
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
This interaction damages skin cells and can trigger irritation, redness, stinging or burning.
—Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
Lapham also talked about the high of winning the AFC Championship in 1981, followed by the stinging loss to San Francisco in Super Bowl 16.
—Beryl Love, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025
One resident offers a stinging rebuke to the journalists who stake their careers on tragedy.
—Book Marks
august 28, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
Along the Nantucket Sound shoreline, researchers believe massive groups of unusually large moon jellyfish — a species long thought to be harmless to people — have been stinging many swimmers in nearby Cape Cod towns.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025
Find out about the equipment and site(s) needed to get started with your own adventure with these stinging insects that produce delicious honey and useful beeswax.
—Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinging
Adjective
-
The characters have this sharp, biting, British humor.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
-
There’s Bud the biting cat, played by a feline named Tonic and who deserves a three-picture deal.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Minadeo jumped on Buck's back and put him in a choke hold while gouging at his eyes, according to the lawsuit.—
Craig Shoup,
The Tennessean,
21 Aug. 2025
-
Critics say the city is gouging ordinary residents and tourists to help balance its budget.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
When not plucking away at a keyboard, Madison teaches yoga and mountain bikes with her two Australian shepherds, Cholla and Poppy, through Missoula's Rattlesnake Wilderness.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Brother Dusk detonates explosives that shatter the cryonic chamber of Cleon clones, bodies raining down in blood and glass, before plucking a single embryo from the wreckage to bait Demerzel’s deepest programming.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Parsley is a biennial that quickly bolts and dies the second year, and since second-year parsley is bitter, it’s typically grown as an annual.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Whenever these bitter rivals have met in recent years, there has never been a shortage of offense.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
There are things worse than cheating.—
Essence,
Essence,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported an uptick in the sale of blue books as a safeguard in testing to avoid students using AI for cheating.—
Laurel Donnellan,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That could be due to tariffs squeezing automakers, disincentivizing them from giving discounts.—
Senior Reporter,
PC Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
-
This could be done by either squeezing the regular season even tighter with more midweek fixtures or putting the Wembley final back a week.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Starring Kaitlin Olson as Morgan Gillory, a single mother whose genius-level IQ lands her a consulting role with the LAPD, the series blends sharp humor with high-stakes investigations.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Slices of lusciously marbled brisket have a sharp, peppery bark, and the pork ribs are tinged pink with smoke straight down to the bone.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Still, almost 30,000 people waited with sweat soaking their shirts, standing on tiptoe to get a glimpse of the men walking toward the center of the arena.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Stein recommends soaking them in a mixture of water and a bit of laundry detergent or stain remover.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinging. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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