acerb

adjective

ə-ˈsərb How to pronounce acerb (audio)
Definition of acerbnext
as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings a professor with a rather acerb sense of humor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acerb
  1. sarcastic
  2. satiric
  3. acid
  4. acidic
  5. barbed
  6. acerbic
Adjective
  • Others rocked up in hazmat suits in a sarcastic swipe at China’s stringent Covid control measures, which saw Shanghai locked down for roughly two months and sparked rare protests.
    Chris Lau, CNN, 29 Oct. 2024
  • The sentiment is respectable — gun violence is bad — but the song’s satire feels half-baked because Martin just doesn’t have the sarcastic sensibility needed.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
Definition of sarcastic
Adjective
  • Mann at his most satiric has Settembrini contributing an essay to a multivolume project whose purpose is to end suffering.
    George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Others are satiric vignettes—pointed takedowns of sham humanitarians, sham foreign journalists, sham white saviors and their sham schemes to save the continent—whose villains can read more like stock inventions than like surprising ones.
    Alexis Okeowo, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2024
Definition of satiric
Adjective
  • Magnesium interferes with bisphosphonates used for osteoporosis, antibiotics, diuretics, and proton pump inhibitors used for acid reflux.8 Potassium: The kidneys regulate potassium levels.
    Amy Brownstein, MS, RDN, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2024
  • This ensures that the acid and electrolyte levels in your blood (including sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium) remain at the ideal concentration.
    Kumkum S. Patel, Verywell Health, 26 Sep. 2024
Definition of acid
Adjective
  • For You, Too An additional reason for elevating your chicken soup with lemon rather than other acidic ingredients is the health benefits.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 27 Oct. 2024
  • They are made by adding an acidic compound to creatine to help creatine absorb better and provide other nutrients that support sports performance.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 23 Oct. 2024
Definition of acidic
Adjective
  • As proof of the threat, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office gathered reporters last week to go over Election Day protections, including new barbed wire atop the parking lot where elections workers park.
    Philip Elliott, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Back when barbed wire restricted freedom, Manzanar players found solace on a field that organizers and volunteers have now rebirthed and made their own.
    Emilie Ikeda, NBC News, 29 Oct. 2024
Definition of barbed
Adjective
  • Others praised its use and Parker’s history as an acerbic writer.
    Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024
  • One of the guests, a local city administrator who had spent years abroad, delivered an acerbic speech about Lebanon’s failure to cohere as a country.
    Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024
Definition of acerbic
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near acerb

acequias

acerb

acerbic

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Acerb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerb. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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Nglish: Translation of acerb for Spanish Speakers

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