as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
the customer made his displeasure known with more acerbity than was necessary
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of acerbity
The third element of the trio is Mary Flynn, played by the terrific Lindsey Mendez, a 2018 Tony winner for Carousel, with a natural warmth that offsets the character’s growing acerbity.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2022
The Brodie books demonstrate her great facility with genre, pairing pulse-quickening suspense with Atkinson’s distinctive blend of puckishness and acerbity.
—Sarah Chihaya, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2022
Mazower notes with some acerbity that no king of Greece died quietly in office before 1947 . . .
—Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021
Rarely does a reviewer convey her opinion of a book’s strengths and weaknesses with such grace and acerbity.
—New York Times, 4 Dec. 2020
The Academy Awards for the movies of 1988 were awash in bluntness, cruelty and acerbity.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2020
There is, however, something respectable and clarifying about its commitment to acerbity.
—Kate Knibbs, Wired, 7 Sep. 2020
Overly harsh with citrus, the fish was like an Italianate ceviche, and its acerbity drowned the satiny, subtle panna cotta.
—Kate Washington, sacbee, 11 May 2018
By now Dimon is nearly iconic in his acerbity and general spikiness.
—Daniel Gross, Slate Magazine, 17 July 2017
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Dec. 2022
The Brodie books demonstrate her great facility with genre, pairing pulse-quickening suspense with Atkinson’s distinctive blend of puckishness and acerbity.
—Sarah Chihaya, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2022
Mazower notes with some acerbity that no king of Greece died quietly in office before 1947 . . .
—Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 26 Oct. 2021
Rarely does a reviewer convey her opinion of a book’s strengths and weaknesses with such grace and acerbity.
—New York Times, 4 Dec. 2020
The Academy Awards for the movies of 1988 were awash in bluntness, cruelty and acerbity.
—Wesley Morris, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2020
There is, however, something respectable and clarifying about its commitment to acerbity.
—Kate Knibbs, Wired, 7 Sep. 2020
Overly harsh with citrus, the fish was like an Italianate ceviche, and its acerbity drowned the satiny, subtle panna cotta.
—Kate Washington, sacbee, 11 May 2018
By now Dimon is nearly iconic in his acerbity and general spikiness.
—Daniel Gross, Slate Magazine, 17 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acerbity
Noun
-
As stories of love, loss and migration unfold over small bites and careful sips, Bose paints a portrait of identity steeped in sensory memory.—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
7 June 2025
-
What Davies has thus far brought to his second bite of the Who apple has proven … mixed.—
Glen Weldon,
NPR,
7 June 2025
Noun
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In a Venezuelan election, running as an incumbent gives you the sort of edge that any unscrupulous and power-hungry leader around the world can only fantasize about.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2025
-
The water instead rolls down the fly and through the lower mesh edge, onto the exterior tub floor fabric and onto the ground.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 June 2025
Noun
-
The altitude of the vineyard contributes to large swings in day-to-night temperatures, which aid in maintaining freshness and acidity in the grapes.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
12 June 2025
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Dosing depends on the product and its acidity concentration, which usually ranges from 4% to 8%.1 Read the label or talk with a healthcare provider to decide on the best dose.—
Nick Blackmer,
Health,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Acerbity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acerbity. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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