1
as in hostility
a deep-seated ill will
he still harbored an implacable bitterness against the company that had fired him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in bite
a harsh or sharp quality
the bitterness of the coffee suggested that it had been reheated
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in chill
an uncomfortable degree of coolness
there's a bitterness in the air, so let's build a fire in the fireplace
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression
complained with great bitterness about the ill treatment he had always received
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bitterness
Noun
-
Ultimately, restrictions on vacant CPS property sales are part of a broader problem, and that’s education officials’ open hostility toward alternative education models.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2025 -
Then a decade of talks crashed into President Trump’s hostility toward Canada.—
Karen Weise,
New York Times,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
The agency says that the disease is carried by mosquito bites, and symptoms include fever, pain, and other flu-like symptoms.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
15 May 2025
-
The baby is a twin, and her twin brother also had bite marks on his feet, officials said.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
Noun
-
Here, homeowners can whip up cocktails to serve guests from the indoor bar tucked into the bulkhead, exercise their green thumbs tending to the mature plantings, or just chill under the vine-laced pergola.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
23 May 2025
-
Once doctors reviewed the family’s travel history, treatment was quickly shifted to address concerns of histoplasmosis, which the CDC explains can cause cause flu-like symptoms including fever and chills, malaise, cough, headache, chest pain and body aches.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
People.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
Recalls are typically classified by severity, and while not all involve immediate danger, they are carried out as a precaution to protect public health.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
-
Class 2 obesity: This ranges from 35-39.9, with a moderate risk of severity.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
15 May 2025
Noun
-
The fear this instills in I-Jing — already ignored by her busy mother, nor attended to by her mercurial older sister, I-Ann, who holds a grudge against her mother and rebels by working at a shady betel nut stand — sets off a secrets-unearthing chain of events.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
14 May 2025
-
Was Disney actually complicit in Ryan using shareholder revenues to further a personal grudge?—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
9 May 2025
Noun
-
In the second round of the playoffs, against the defending champion, the Boston Celtics, the script was flipped: the Knicks got down by huge margins in the first two games but came storming back for the victory in both, creating a 2–0 edge.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
22 May 2025
-
Special teams ace/edge rusher DeAngelo Malone also would be a difficult cut.—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
Down encourages readers to use their righteous anger toward rebuilding a fractured world.—
Shannon Carlin,
Time,
22 May 2025
-
Told in the first person, the story explores a lot of the feelings that Helen experiences: frustration and anger and love for her friend.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
The project educates students about the dangers of hatred and bigotry and the importance of standing against all forms of prejudice.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2025
-
Meanwhile, Republicans such as our current president spew contempt like volcanoes of hatred, prejudice and madness.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Bitterness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bitterness. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share