1
2
as in to pluck
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
swindlers who sting unwary tourists by posing as officials demanding money
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in scam
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
the pawn shop operation turned out to be a sting by undercover police officers to catch the ring of burglars
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in tingle
a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body
the sting of cold air against my face
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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 sting
Rosa Jisoo Pyo, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2025
Missing the first two playoff games is probably going to sting, right?
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2025
Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2025
Others may not like their AI avatar videos but consider the financial reward high enough to make up for the sting.
—ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sting
Verb
All in all a luxurious experience that rinses away easily without stinging the eyes.
—Rosa Jisoo Pyo, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2025
Missing the first two playoff games is probably going to sting, right?
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 12 Apr. 2025
Noun
And in Miami Gardens, where the median household income is about $60,000 — almost $20,000 less than the county median — that extra 25% stings.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2025
Others may not like their AI avatar videos but consider the financial reward high enough to make up for the sting.
—ArsTechnica, 18 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sting
Noun
-
Apparently, the Administration doesn't want anyone to be exposed to data that might challenge its narrative that climate change is a scam.—
John Timmer,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2025
-
As the bill worked its way through the Tennessee legislature, Smith appeared last month before the Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee to share her experience with deepfakes and the ways in which the scam has impacted her and her family.—
Nicole Valdes,
CBS News,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
The product glides on smooth like butter and leaves behind a faint cooling tingle.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
17 Apr. 2025
-
That tingle of anxiety will become an old friend, and the feeling of having triumphed over fear will become equally familiar, if not more familiar, than the fear itself.—
Essence,
Essence,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Its biting satire is complimented by engaging mechanics like the stratagems.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
28 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Republicans defend the changes as necessary to prevent fraud in the petition-gathering process, but bill sponsors said that among hundreds of allegations of petition fraud in 2024, there were 18 arrests.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2025
-
Both were eventually convicted on various counts of wire and securities fraud, as well as money laundering.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
2 May 2025
Noun
-
Grief arrives in waves — sometimes in quiet tears, sometimes in guttural sobs, sometimes in the simple, brutal ache of reaching for your phone to text her, only to remember a painstaking reality.—
Carissa Talmage,
People.com,
2 May 2025
-
Headaches and migraines, which are described as tension-type headaches, are common in women and can be associated with other body aches and pains.—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Trump's second term kicked off late January with mass layoffs in the federal government, widespread tariffs, an escalating trade war with China and a deportation program that has led to a bitter court battle.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Her coverage has ranged from a rare interview with Mark Zuckerberg as Meta neared its 20th birthday to the bitter divorce proceedings of an Indian software billionaire.—
Kerry A. Dolan,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
During raging emotional turmoil in the 1990s, Beth turned to writing to make sense of loss, pain, and a desire to belong.—
Sixteen Ramos,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
-
The specter of relapse hovers over every blood test, every new ache or pain.—
David Armstrong,
ProPublica,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
The aviation industry expects the exemption to help companies keep costs down during a sharp pullback in travel spending by consumers worried about slower economic growth and higher inflation.—
Rajesh Kumar Singh,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
-
In Chico, 90 miles north of Sacramento, the emergency room at the only hospital in town has seen a sharp increase in patients over the past decade, due in part to a lack of primary care providers in the area.—
Bernard J. Wolfson and Vanessa G. Sánchez,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sting. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
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