1
as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
there's a tartness to this movie critic's reviews that's a little tiresome
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression
there's a telltale tartness between these two teams that nobody could miss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 tartness
There's no tartness, no bitterness whatsoever.
—
Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
Dulces Clara’s colorful inventory of Mexican candy features a variety of unique creations, like the popular Hormigas, a hard caramel candy with a watermelon flavor and a dusting of spicy chili powder, and gummies that mix the sweetness of mango with the tartness of tamarind.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Altoids Sours Altoids Sours, launched by Wrigley in the early 2000s, were packaged in distinctive metal tins and delivered an intense tartness before turning sweet.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2026
In the Wild Eyed Rose, the voluptuous tartness of the grenadine gets to arc across the whole palate, supported by the warm light malt of the Irish whiskey and given a malic kiss at the end by the lime juice.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2026
This recipe stands out from all the rest with brown butter’s toasty, nutty addition to the shortbread base and abundant fresh lemon juice, bringing all its aromatic tartness to every bite.
—Jennifer Anderson, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026
The chewy, sticky treats are then rolled in sugar for a perfect balance of tartness and sweetness.
—Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2026
Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
Dulces Clara’s colorful inventory of Mexican candy features a variety of unique creations, like the popular Hormigas, a hard caramel candy with a watermelon flavor and a dusting of spicy chili powder, and gummies that mix the sweetness of mango with the tartness of tamarind.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Altoids Sours Altoids Sours, launched by Wrigley in the early 2000s, were packaged in distinctive metal tins and delivered an intense tartness before turning sweet.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2026
In the Wild Eyed Rose, the voluptuous tartness of the grenadine gets to arc across the whole palate, supported by the warm light malt of the Irish whiskey and given a malic kiss at the end by the lime juice.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2026
This recipe stands out from all the rest with brown butter’s toasty, nutty addition to the shortbread base and abundant fresh lemon juice, bringing all its aromatic tartness to every bite.
—Jennifer Anderson, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026
The chewy, sticky treats are then rolled in sugar for a perfect balance of tartness and sweetness.
—Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tartness
Noun
-
The state said Hollis was wrong for harboring bitterness toward him.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to the scallions, half a cup of whole parsley leaves adds a grassy depth and pleasant bitterness to this salad.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Despite the severity of the South Carolina outbreak, Edwards considers the public health response a success.—
Tanya Lewis,
Scientific American,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The actual severity of any shortcomings at OpenAI and how far any weaknesses could spread remain open questions, Yardeni said.—
Rob Wile,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Two Boys Fighting Over a Bladder (circa 1767–1770) suggests that the latter view has bite.—
Julian Bell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The wing’s bark pairs with plenty of bite.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But the chancellor struggled to imagine how such an end of hostilities could be reached that would satisfy the White House.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The hostility to literature felt by some of the architects of the Red Scare is well established.—
Charlie Tyson,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Patriots had a busy offseason, adding top free agents wide receiver Romeo Doubs, safety Kevin Byard, edge defender Dre’Mont Jones and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, among other veterans.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The 2022 draft was the last one to be truly wide open at the top — the Jags ended up picking edge rusher Travon Walker in a year that featured three edge rushers and two cornerbacks in the top five, and no quarterback selected until Kenny Pickett at 20.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Always dilute apple cider vinegar before consuming it to protect your teeth and digestive tract from its acidity.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Generally speaking Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris from Alsace are dry, but even those with higher residual sugar exhibit vivid acidity that keeps them from seeming overly sweet.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tartness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tartness. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
