vitriol

noun

Definition of vitriolnext
1
as in hostility
biting sharpness of feeling or expression a film critic noted for the vitriol and sometimes outright cruelty of his pronouncements

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in invective
harsh insulting language the review was more than just unfavorable—it was loaded with vitriol

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Thesaurus Entries Near vitriol

vitrines

vitriol

vitriolic

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Vitriol.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vitriol. Accessed 3 Feb. 2023.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on vitriol

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vitriol

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of challah

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

The Great British Vocabulary Quiz

  • union jack speech bubble
  • Named after Sir Robert Peel, what are British police called?
Spell It

Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games