1
as in gouged
to charge (someone) too much for goods or services
a nightclub that's been stinging patrons for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheated
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
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Recent Examples of stung
People have reported severe reactions, including anaphylaxis, after being stung by the ant.
—
Julia Gomez, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Anthropic leaks its code; Mercor stung by data breach.
—John Kell, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
Around 150 million people get stung by jellyfish each year around the world, per UCLA Health, and the Irukandji jellyfish stands out as the one to avoid at all costs.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
In Iowa, farmers have been stung by higher costs of fuel and fertilizer because of the war, and the leading Republican candidate to succeed GOP Senator Joni Ernst, Representative Ashley Hinson, has tied herself closely to Trump.
—Nancy Cook, Bloomberg, 7 Apr. 2026
Santos stung a volley from outside the box midway through the second half after juggling the ball with her knee, but Silkowitz dived to her right to push the ball wide of the post.
—Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026
Anyone who is stung repeatedly or has trouble breathing should call 911.
—Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 29 Mar. 2026
These scandals stung at the time, but looking back, Cyrus wouldn’t have changed a thing.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
All was going well when suddenly the scorpion stung the frog.
—Harvey Levine, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Julia Gomez, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Anthropic leaks its code; Mercor stung by data breach.
—John Kell, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
Around 150 million people get stung by jellyfish each year around the world, per UCLA Health, and the Irukandji jellyfish stands out as the one to avoid at all costs.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
In Iowa, farmers have been stung by higher costs of fuel and fertilizer because of the war, and the leading Republican candidate to succeed GOP Senator Joni Ernst, Representative Ashley Hinson, has tied herself closely to Trump.
—Nancy Cook, Bloomberg, 7 Apr. 2026
Santos stung a volley from outside the box midway through the second half after juggling the ball with her knee, but Silkowitz dived to her right to push the ball wide of the post.
—Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026
Anyone who is stung repeatedly or has trouble breathing should call 911.
—Rey Covarrubias Jr, AZCentral.com, 29 Mar. 2026
These scandals stung at the time, but looking back, Cyrus wouldn’t have changed a thing.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026
All was going well when suddenly the scorpion stung the frog.
—Harvey Levine, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stung
Verb
-
Nobody likes being price gouged, whether at the gas pump, ticket purchase, or a rideshare.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Then thunder crashes and a hand with an open wound gets gouged open.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Schiller is a man who cheated death and whose harrowing ordeal is dramatized by actor Tony Shalhoub in a recent movie.—
Troy Roberts,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The chat room was on fire, because Magnus Carlsen had lost to the kid—Hans Niemann—and then implied that Hans had cheated.—
Ben Mezrich,
Vanity Fair,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Domestic flights will also get surcharged.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sudhir Srivastava, vice president of the Noida Entrepreneurs Association, said manufacturers were being squeezed from multiple directions.—
Mayu Saini,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Bottom line Private credit’s share of overall financing in the US economy has grown, and when that growth slows or stops, small businesses with few other options get squeezed.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The jury did find that Ticketmaster overcharged customers by a little less than $2, which … looking at my bank account doesn’t exactly seem quite right, but that’s probably an average.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
15 Apr. 2026
-
These changes come as airlines around the world are tightening rules on devices that use lithium-ion batteries, which can catch fire if damaged, overheated, exposed to water, or overcharged.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Beaufort, North Carolina This fishing village with century-old homes, idyllic marinas, and pristine beaches could be plucked from a vintage postcard.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2026
-
With its cast of characters essentially plucked from Fugard’s early life in Port Elizabeth, the play introduces Hally (a stand-in for Fugard) at a crossroads.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Once fully soaked, clean the racks with a scouring pad, rinse, and dry thoroughly before replacing.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Whole flaxseeds should be soaked for easier digestion; ground flaxseeds are more digestible and versatile in recipes.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The crowd applauded when Rahm took the bag from Garcia and started carrying it himself as caddie Adam Hayes hustled to catch up to the players.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Senior forward Amanda Ratz, a first-year varsity player, hustled to get to the ball, and then the Huskies were off to the races on a counterattack.—
Matt Le Cren,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stung. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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