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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of stung
Otherwise, the what-if blues would’ve stung a lot longer.
—
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
The Nuggets have lost plenty of playoff games the past two springs, but few have stung like this.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Meyer acknowledged the logic behind preparing Nick Bosa for the NFL Draft but admitted the choice still stung as the Buckeyes chased a title.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Many hospital systems in Connecticut have stopped suing their patients over unpaid bills, stung by criticism about the harm caused by aggressive collection tactics.
—Noam N. Levey, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
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
Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
The Nuggets have lost plenty of playoff games the past two springs, but few have stung like this.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Meyer acknowledged the logic behind preparing Nick Bosa for the NFL Draft but admitted the choice still stung as the Buckeyes chased a title.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Many hospital systems in Connecticut have stopped suing their patients over unpaid bills, stung by criticism about the harm caused by aggressive collection tactics.
—Noam N. Levey, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
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
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
-
The reportedly yearlong relationship is notable in that, after their split in 2015, Stocking posted and deleted tweets saying the basketball player cheated, per The New York Post.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
This is the same team that cheated and got caught how many times, going back to Bill Belichick and golden boy Tom Brady (Deflategate)?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Domestic flights will also get surcharged.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Many Americans feel financially squeezed — over half say their finances are worsening, according to a recent Gallup poll, the highest since 2001.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
-
And so there’s going to be times where we’re squeezed and punched.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The jury found that fans were overcharged for tickets as a direct result of this monopoly, paying higher fees for their tickets.—
Letitia James,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
-
On Wednesday, a New York federal jury found that Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally operated as a monopoly and overcharged fans.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Discovery and inspiration await in Casablanca, where leafy boulevards are lined by a diverse blend of architectural styles and lively markets are filled with treasures plucked from old villas and handcrafted by artisans.—
Liza Foreman,
Architectural Digest,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The Orion capsule will be returned to NASA's Kennedy Space Center for additional study following the mission — but before it was plucked from the ocean, the divers managed to capture images of the capsule and its heat shield underwater.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
My hoodie was already wet, this time completely soaked my hoodie.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
-
Rain had soaked nearly everything that the bears had not ruined.—
Jim Hoagland,
Outdoor Life,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Caminero led off with a walk, then hustled to third when Aranda followed with a single.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
-
Alec Bohm drove in a run with a slow roller when Harper hustled to beat shortstop Otto Lopez's throw to second.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stung. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
