1
as in bitter
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
a biting wind that only the toughest football fans were willing to endure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
the biting comments by the pundits about the government's inaction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of biting
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2026
France and Spain, by contrast, have centrist or center-left governments and favored a harder line and more biting retaliatory tariffs.
—
Matthias Matthijs,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Dec. 2025
Robert Annis,
Midwest Living,
21 June 2026
Especially for someone whose millennial-specific brand of humor historically has been a bit biting, even occasionally mean.
—
Ct Jones,
Rolling Stone,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for biting
Adjective
Morbidly Jewish finds Raanan at his most biting, acerbic, angry, Jewish, and, as always…loud.
—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2026
France and Spain, by contrast, have centrist or center-left governments and favored a harder line and more biting retaliatory tariffs.
—
Matthias Matthijs,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
What to Pack Bring bug spray, sunscreen, and loose-fitting long pants—ticks, mosquitoes, and biting flies can be abundant in summer.
—
Robert Annis,
Midwest Living,
21 June 2026
Especially for someone whose millennial-specific brand of humor historically has been a bit biting, even occasionally mean.
—
Ct Jones,
Rolling Stone,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for biting
Recent Examples of Synonyms for biting
Adjective
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But to pay that extra and miss out on one of Samsung’s best hardware inventions in years would be a bitter pill to swallow.
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Many Lebanese also have bitter memories of the decades of Syrian occupation of Lebanon, which began during the Lebanese civil war, initially at the request of Lebanese authorities and with the backing of Arab states, ending in 2005.
Adjective
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This is taken as evidence of his status, not a sarcastic criticism.
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On Monday night, Contreras was ejected in the second inning after a check-swing strikeout prompted him to give a sarcastic ABS challenge gesture at the umpire, earning an instant boot.
Verb
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The Tennis Racket Is Not the Tennis Player There’s a narrative that generative AI is a soul-sucking, job-killing machine.
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Federal water managers have already been sucking water out of other reservoirs in Colorado and Wyoming to slow Lake Powell's decline.
Adjective
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Tourism in Albania has seen a sharp increase in recent years, with people relishing the nation’s vast, undeveloped coastline.
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Netanyahu, 76, has spent decades mastering political theater, sharp messaging and grand performances.
Adjective
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Since premiering in 2014, the satirical news program has earned 32 Emmy Awards, including program and writing wins for 10 consecutive years at the Primetime Emmy Awards, along with multiple Peabody, GLAAD, Writers Guild and Producers Guild honors.
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On Tuesday, protesters were asked to bring diapers and write demands for Pradhan’s resignation on them – a satirical swipe at the government’s inability to stop exam leaks, Dipke said.
Adjective
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The researchers' device aims to solve the stinging problem by physically preventing this meeting (unfortunately no images of it are available at this time).
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Since September of 2024, federal science agencies in the US have axed nearly 120,000 employees, in a stinging loss for public research.
Adjective
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The fence, as constructed, is more than 8 feet tall and is topped with a strand of barbed wire — too high for many animals to jump and dangerous for those that attempt to do so.
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Vines have grown through the fence and barbed wire surrounding a tall art deco building in this city’s downtown, and cigarette holders and empty food tins litter the tall weeds.
Adjective
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Still, the glimpses of freedom Clark offers are all the more piercing for their rarity.
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The ping of pickleball play produces a uniquely piercing and repetitive sound that has led to contentious lawsuits and controversies across the entire country, including just north in Fox Point, as the sport has rapidly grown in popularity over the last few years.
Cite this Entry
“Biting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/biting. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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