stinging 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of stingingnext
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin these cold, stinging winds are not just a discomfort—they can be dangerous to exposed flesh

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stinging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of sting
1
as in gouging
to charge (someone) too much for goods or services a nightclub that's been stinging patrons for years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plucking
to rob by the use of trickery or threats swindlers who sting unwary tourists by posing as officials demanding money

Synonyms & Similar Words

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinging
  1. biting
  2. bitter
  3. cheating
  4. sharp
  5. soaking
  6. beating
  7. bleeding
Adjective
  • The sketch seemed to be SNL’s attempt to balance the cold open’s levity with a more biting tone about the wearying stakes of deciding the nation’s leadership.
    Amanda Wicks, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2024
  • Will Ari craft a biting lyric finally addressing it?
    Catherine Santino, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Definition of biting
Adjective
  • That will come as a bitter blow to the workers affected.
    The Week UK, theweek, 10 Nov. 2024
  • In a bitter twist of fate, Trump made these remarks about Xi on the day that Liu Xiaobo died.
    Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of bitter
Verb
  • This might seem like cheating, but both.
    Billboard Japan, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2024
  • Neither of the two has ever confirmed that the reason for their breakup was indeed cheating, and Garfield and Stone remain friends to this day.
    Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 21 Oct. 2024
Definition of cheating
Adjective
  • Washington could’ve been sharper on that possession — Jayden Daniels missed an open receiver on a crosser one play before the Ekeler drop.
    Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2024
  • Since 2000, there has been a sharp increase in pediatric cannabis calls to the nation’s poison centers.
    Dr. Jerrold B. Leikin, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
Definition of sharp
Verb
  • While recipes and tips vary slightly, it is generally made by soaking uncooked rice in cold water and then sifting away the rice.
    Alice Rosati, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2024
  • The primary bath has a soaking tub and a dressing area.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2024
Definition of soaking
Verb
  • But beating the Eagles — on the road and in a short week — would certify Washington in a way the previous 10 weeks haven’t.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
  • The finance sector has had a blowout year, with major banks beating expectations on strong revenue growth, continued net interest income strength, and favorable projections through year’s end and into 2025.
    Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 13 Nov. 2024
Definition of beating
Verb
  • One protester was taken to an ambulance due to bleeding.
    Reuters, NBC News, 11 Nov. 2024
  • Strokes are caused when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain or, less frequently, when a blood vessel ruptures and causes bleeding in the brain.
    Meg Tirrell, CNN, 19 Oct. 2024
Definition of bleeding
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 stinging

stinginess

stinging

stings

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Stinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinging. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on stinging

Nglish: Translation of stinging for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of stinging for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Is That Gratitude or Attitude? A Thanksgiving Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...