smarting 1 of 3

as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin we had to press on, despite the smarting sleet that was blowing in our faces

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

smarting

2 of 3

noun

smarting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of smart

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smarting
Adjective
  • Many of his biting posts have gone viral, drawing thousands of shares and millions of views.
    Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025
  • The criticism from Barney Ronay at The Guardian was even more biting.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Early symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache and muscle aches, followed by coughing and shortness of breath.
    Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Saatva Zenhaven latex mattress: on sale for $2,749 Original price: $3,399 Dealing with back aches?
    Christopher Murray, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The imagery of The Pink Opaque’s Midnight Realm is frightening, but the potent themes and aching nostalgia are what will keep you up at night.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Risotto, in other words, is governed by a set of laws that are rooted in tradition, rich in common sense, and aching to be broken or bent.
    Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The bitter dispute recently tipped into its fourth consecutive month and has escalated.
    Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Which is really too bad because bitter is a lot more fun to watch on TV.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Even at such a low price, this unit is packed with features and performance, including a wide 180 degree viewing angle, sharp 2K video, smart object detection and more.
    K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The duo spoke with Variety about the movie, and it’s soon revealed that in addition to their talent, the pair share a sharp sense of humor.
    Jenelle Riley, Variety, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Having to walk past those luxurious, roomy, and comfortable-looking lie-flat beds in business-class on your way to economy is enough to trigger a pang of jealousy.
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 30 Mar. 2025
  • As the time of iftar, the breaking of the fast, nears, a day’s worth of hunger pangs combine with jockeying among patrons desperate to get their marook loaves and rush home before the call to prayer sounds from mosque minarets.
    Kiana Hayeri, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • But these little twinges the audience might feel about everyone being mortal only added, if anything, to the evening’s personal potency, and the vitality of a reconvening of the tribe that supported the Wilson sisters from the outset, along with strays picked up during the MTV years.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Then, as the show progresses into new story lines and the rest of the cast tries to carry on without their key player, almost like a phantom limb, the audience feels a constant twinge that something is missing.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2024
Adjective
  • At the time, Jase said his father was keen to return to work.
    Erin Clack, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
  • She’s been especially keen on animal print, from her leopard tote bag to her zebra Fendi backpack.
    Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 4 Apr. 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.

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Cite this Entry

“Smarting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smarting. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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