1
as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
doesn't like the asperity of most experimental music
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2
as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression
she responded with such asperity that we knew she was deeply offended by the question
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3
as in hardship
something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal
as a physically challenged person, he has encountered more than his share of asperities on the road to success
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Recent Examples of asperity
Robin Waterfield’s Aesop’s Fables: A New Translation (Basic Books, $30) renders them in all their feral, fatalistic glory—bursts of Hobbesian asperity with dubious, sometimes conflicting, morals.
—
Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 22 Aug. 2024
Advertisement On a re-read, Orwell’s narrative holds up, in large part due to the asperity of the prose and the prescient description of how fascism can creep into any society that takes freedom for granted.
—Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2023
Her asperity has brought upon her the full flaming rage of the Twittersphere.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2022
By the time Keane wrote Devoted Ladies, a note of asperity had crept into her fiction.
—Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 22 Nov. 2018
Imagine Don Draper’s grasp of American psychopathology delivered with the pithy asperity of Emily Dickinson.
—Megan O’Grady, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2020
Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 22 Aug. 2024
Advertisement On a re-read, Orwell’s narrative holds up, in large part due to the asperity of the prose and the prescient description of how fascism can creep into any society that takes freedom for granted.
—Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2023
Her asperity has brought upon her the full flaming rage of the Twittersphere.
—Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2022
By the time Keane wrote Devoted Ladies, a note of asperity had crept into her fiction.
—Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 22 Nov. 2018
Imagine Don Draper’s grasp of American psychopathology delivered with the pithy asperity of Emily Dickinson.
—Megan O’Grady, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asperity
Noun
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Despite suffering from physical and emotional hardship, Kahlo became a feminist icon, known for her unapologetic approach to body image and her vivid use of color.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
20 Jan. 2025
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During her detention, Sala endured significant hardships.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Amara, a nurse who lives in nearby Valencia, said she’s been on edge for weeks as major blazes devastated Southern California.—
Marcio Jose Sanchez,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2025
-
The port and button layout is the same as before, with a volume toggle on the right edge and a power button below it.—
Iyaz Akhtar,
PCMAG,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) noted a post-2020 increase in both the frequency and severity of such incidents, although specific links to alcohol consumption remain unclear.—
John Mac Ghlionn,
Newsweek,
14 Jan. 2025
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Each country is then assigned a 0-100 score on our Atrocities Scope and Scale Heuristic – providing a single metric for the breadth and severity of atrocities committed within a certain year.—
Collin J. Meisel,
The Conversation,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The Ravens are the DVOA darlings for a second straight season, a metric that measures teams on a per play basis, accounting for difficulty of opponent and other items.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
19 Jan. 2025
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However, failure to include pharmaceutical pricing reforms that involve PBMs in the end-of-year continuing resolution, despite bipartisan support, may be a sign of political fracturing among lawmakers in 2025 and the difficulties of breaking the impasse.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
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And for a pick-me-up before or after the slopes, the Double Blacks cafe on the lower level serves espresso drinks, spiced ciders, fresh croissants, and small bites.—
Denny Lee,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Jan. 2025
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That starts with small bites, including his calas, also known as Creole rice fritters, traditionally a sweet breakfast dish served with cafe au lait.—
Louisa Kung Liu Chu,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
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For example, shrinking the size and scope of government is a goal which could help the country, but reducing or trimming government programs for almost any constituency would be fraught with hostility and political costs.—
Frank Lavin,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
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While the temporary pause in hostilities provides reprieve for the Gazan civilians, Hamas and their ideological allies are claiming the agreement as a victory.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Everything about the movement surprised political observers: its virulence, its magnitude, its provincial origins, its apparent lack of structure and leadership, and its adamant refusal to be co-opted by existing political parties and unions.—
Arthur Goldhammer,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Dec. 2018
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An ePPP is a pathogen that has been modified to enhance its transmissibility and virulence.—
Siladitya Ray,
Forbes,
27 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The third element of the trio is Mary Flynn, played by the terrific Lindsey Mendez, a 2018 Tony winner for Carousel, with a natural warmth that offsets the character’s growing acerbity.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
12 Dec. 2022
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The Brodie books demonstrate her great facility with genre, pairing pulse-quickening suspense with Atkinson’s distinctive blend of puckishness and acerbity.—
Sarah Chihaya,
The New Yorker,
16 Oct. 2022
Thesaurus Entries Near asperity
Cite this Entry
“Asperity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asperity. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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