as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
the customer made his displeasure known with more acerbity than was necessary
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of acerbity
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
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
Mazower notes with some acerbity that no king of Greece died quietly in office before 1947 . . .
—Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021
Rarely does a reviewer convey her opinion of a book’s strengths and weaknesses with such grace and acerbity.
—New York Times, 4 Dec. 2020
The Academy Awards for the movies of 1988 were awash in bluntness, cruelty and acerbity.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2020
There is, however, something respectable and clarifying about its commitment to acerbity.
—Kate Knibbs, Wired, 7 Sep. 2020
Overly harsh with citrus, the fish was like an Italianate ceviche, and its acerbity drowned the satiny, subtle panna cotta.
—Kate Washington, sacbee, 11 May 2018
By now Dimon is nearly iconic in his acerbity and general spikiness.
—Daniel Gross, Slate Magazine, 17 July 2017
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2022
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
Mazower notes with some acerbity that no king of Greece died quietly in office before 1947 . . .
—Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021
Rarely does a reviewer convey her opinion of a book’s strengths and weaknesses with such grace and acerbity.
—New York Times, 4 Dec. 2020
The Academy Awards for the movies of 1988 were awash in bluntness, cruelty and acerbity.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2020
There is, however, something respectable and clarifying about its commitment to acerbity.
—Kate Knibbs, Wired, 7 Sep. 2020
Overly harsh with citrus, the fish was like an Italianate ceviche, and its acerbity drowned the satiny, subtle panna cotta.
—Kate Washington, sacbee, 11 May 2018
By now Dimon is nearly iconic in his acerbity and general spikiness.
—Daniel Gross, Slate Magazine, 17 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acerbity
Noun
-
The upstairs seating area is more casual, a spot to have a bite and a drink or perhaps enjoy a cocktail or glass of wine before your table is ready, with balcony seating that overlooks busy Las Olas Boulevard.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2025
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The adjacent towns of Glacier and Deming feel less like tourist hubs and more like actual towns—with savory bites at Gunners Tex Mex BBQ and North Fork Brewery, and plenty of character-rich Airbnb and Vrbo listings.—
Miles Howard,
AFAR Media,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
There was a pervasive sense of indignation from current and former European officials, who have funneled significant aid to Ukraine and are deeply worried about how a ceasefire deal could impact the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) eastern edge.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
15 Feb. 2025
-
The Pirates got to almost every loose ball and played with an edge that was nowhere to be found for the Huskies.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
15 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The acidity in brown sugar can work in tandem with baking soda to produce a nice rise, which white sugar alone can’t do.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2025
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According to Northcutt, the biggest factor is rice's acidity or basicity, also referred to as pH. Some restaurants—particularly sushi restaurants—mix rice with vinegar, lowering its pH, which can help slow bacterial growth.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
30 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near acerbity
Cite this Entry
“Acerbity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerbity. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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