as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
a professor with a rather acerb sense of humor
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acerb
Adjective
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Goldberg continued before asking her co-hosts their opinions in a sarcastic tone.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
24 Apr. 2025 -
Where Jackie is sarcastic, cynical, and all sharp edges, Zoey is enthusiastic and warm.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Misery, a horror movie with a satiric streak, launched Bates’s film stardom.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The acid content of these foods irritates your child's skin, causing redness that can look like a rash.6 Viruses and Bacterial Infections Certain viral or bacterial infections may cause multiple symptoms around the mouth, including a rash.—
Wendy Wisner,
Health,
18 Apr. 2025
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Roy Ayers, the jazz vibraphonist whose smooth fusion planted the seeds of acid jazz and neo soul, died Wednesday at the age of 84.—
Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Crisp, acidic and linear aromas of grapefruit, green apples, melon, candy cane and lemon grass; slight lime and salt.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Most veggies prefer slightly acidic soil, but these crops thrive in more alkaline gardens.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The season does pepper throughout a sense that Santos has a real heart under all that barbed wire.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
10 Apr. 2025
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The base that this is based on now has a bunch of barbed wire and fencing.—
Fred Topel,
Deadline,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Each installment of the writer-director Mike White’s acerbic satire opens with a guest at the titular hotel chain stumbling upon a dead body, before rewinding a week to introduce a motley crew of patrons and staff who might each end up being the deceased.—
Hannah Giorgis,
The Atlantic,
7 Apr. 2025
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Yelena, Ava and Walker jump in, and everyone takes out the troops with their acerbic fighting skills.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Acerb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerb. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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