as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
whispered a steady stream of acerbic comments as the lecturer droned on
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Recent Examples of acerbic
His acerbic critique rendered the subject taboo for a generation, says Victor Mair, an expert on Chinese language at the University of Pennsylvania.
—
Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 9 May 2025
The vocalist whose acerbic, quick-witted persona on X has become one of his calling cards was at it again a few weeks ago when asked which act will open up his and brother Noel Gallagher’s shows in South America in November.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 May 2025
The film, Ephron’s second collaboration with director Mike Nichols, stars an acerbic Meryl Streep as Rachel Samstat, a food writer, and Jack Nicholson as Mark Foreman, a political columnist revealed to be having an affair.
—Marley Marius, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2025
The sitcom, after all, technically began as a reboot of Roseanne, the charming and acerbic sitcom about a working-class family in Illinois that initially aired from 1988 to 1997.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acerbic
Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 9 May 2025
The vocalist whose acerbic, quick-witted persona on X has become one of his calling cards was at it again a few weeks ago when asked which act will open up his and brother Noel Gallagher’s shows in South America in November.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 1 May 2025
The film, Ephron’s second collaboration with director Mike Nichols, stars an acerbic Meryl Streep as Rachel Samstat, a food writer, and Jack Nicholson as Mark Foreman, a political columnist revealed to be having an affair.
—Marley Marius, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2025
The sitcom, after all, technically began as a reboot of Roseanne, the charming and acerbic sitcom about a working-class family in Illinois that initially aired from 1988 to 1997.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acerbic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acerbic
Adjective
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While the jeers towards Xhaka followed the midfielder, Arsenal’s captain at the time, retaliating to sarcastic cheers from the crowd at him being replaced in an October 2019 home match against Crystal Palace, those directed at Eboue were due to his performance.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
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His first half was littered with increasingly ridiculous highlights: a lefty hook over Isaiah Hartenstein, a potpourri of 3s with hands in his face, a sarcastic stare-down after his defender tried taking a charge, followed by a pass to himself off the backboard to simplify the finish.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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All Systems Red is a legible introduction to Wells’ hyper-capitalist, playfully satiric galaxy.—
Rory Doherty,
Time,
16 May 2025
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That’s the premise of Douglas Is Cancelled, a cruelly funny 2024 BBC sitcom that seems very much in sync with satiric comedies such as The Office and W1A and Yes Minister.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The way the soil responds will give you an idea of whether your soil is acidic, alkaline, or neutral.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 May 2025
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The acidic soil at Sutton Hoo, which rotted away the wood of the Anglo-Saxon ship and only left impressions of planks and rows of iron rivets, means that many of the bone combs previously found at Sutton Hoo have not been well-preserved, Howarth said.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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The inmates used blankets to protect themselves from the barbed wire on the fence.—
Alex Sundby,
CBS News,
21 May 2025
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The men brought blankets to protect themselves from barbed wire.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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Azaleas do like an acid soil and grow best when the soil acidity is in the pH range of 4.5 to 5.5.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2025
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Fluoride also replaces minerals lost from teeth due to acid breakdown, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Acerbic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerbic. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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