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
The lakes froze thick enough to skate across, the air stung sharp in the lungs, and the game every boy seemed to dream about was hockey.
—
Zach Sweet, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Lim said he was stung by the spinoff news and its exclusion of the expansive cast.
—Mekishana Pierre September 8, EW.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The public’s disses seem to have stung as much as Kendrick’s five-song smackdown.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Sherry recalls one instance that stung in particular, when a friend pointed out his hair loss at a social gathering.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
None stung more than the second inning, when Freddie Freeman led off with a single against Pirates rookie Braxton Ashcraft.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
The news stung Maita, but Ellinghaus tempered it by offering him a different opportunity.
—Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
What stung even more was her father’s reaction.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Indeed, the vet suggested that Noodle had likely been stung multiple times by a wasp and then proceeded to eat it, which is why her reaction was so severe.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Zach Sweet, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Lim said he was stung by the spinoff news and its exclusion of the expansive cast.
—Mekishana Pierre September 8, EW.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The public’s disses seem to have stung as much as Kendrick’s five-song smackdown.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Sherry recalls one instance that stung in particular, when a friend pointed out his hair loss at a social gathering.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
None stung more than the second inning, when Freddie Freeman led off with a single against Pirates rookie Braxton Ashcraft.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
The news stung Maita, but Ellinghaus tempered it by offering him a different opportunity.
—Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
What stung even more was her father’s reaction.
—Ashley Vega, People.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Indeed, the vet suggested that Noodle had likely been stung multiple times by a wasp and then proceeded to eat it, which is why her reaction was so severe.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stung
Verb
-
Successive hurricanes had gouged a hole in the Sunshine State, leaving several private carriers insolvent — and leaving hundreds of thousands of their customers with no choice but Citizens.—
Mario Ariza,
ProPublica,
15 Sep. 2025
-
But a low spot in the ocean, a channel gouged down into the sand on the ocean surface, or a break in a sandbar, can disrupt that flow and push water through the spot to create a current much more powerful than the surrounding flow.—
Jennifer Borresen,
USA Today,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Passed over to his hapless son (Dacre Montgomery), our (anti-)hero wires a shotgun to his head and takes him hostage, claiming that the organization’s business maneuvers cheated him out of a substantial fortune.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The woman lives alone, AFP added, citing local media outlets, and was ultimately cheated out of approximately 1 million yen, or about $6,700.—
Jillian Frankel,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
At one point, Detroit squeezed 38 points out of six possessions, turning a close game into a major reality check for the Bears.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Why American farmers are feeling squeezed It's been a tough year for America's farmers.—
Bailey Schulz,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Flat-rate pricing leads to value misalignment, high-usage customers feel undercharged, and low-usage customers feel overcharged.—
Chris Kent,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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The sale was made by an international brokerage firm, owned by Boulos’ cousin, which overcharged the seemingly business savvy Kushner by millions of dollars and worked to conceal the true price.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Yet there’s a relaxed comfort to dinner in the airy concrete-floored loft, starting with the Taiwanese sausage that arrives as an early bite, wedged into homemade brioche like a tiny hot dog and plucked up between two fingers.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The Orioles plucked him in the Rule 5 draft after a tragic plane crash claimed their top catching prospect.—
Jon Paul Hoornstra,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Raindrops soaked Tom Brady’s return as a Buccaneer in 2021, tears that fell from the New England sky.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Once soaked, take them out and rinse the parts thoroughly.—
Abby Fribush,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Farnaz Farjam, one of the show’s executive producers, told Deadline that the production hustled to find a way to capture all three elements.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
1 Sep. 2025
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The band hustled to build their social-media accounts, play shows, and produce a new EP.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The microwave filter is crucial for protecting your microwave's internal parts from gunk getting stuck or the fans from overheating.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
-
With anxiety, you’re stuck in hypothetical scenarios.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stung. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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