1
as in gouged
to charge (someone) too much for goods or services
a nightclub that's been stinging patrons for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheated
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
swindlers who sting unwary tourists by posing as officials demanding money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stung
President Jimmy Carter, stung by that generation’s problems with the Gulf producers, hailed us as the Saudi Arabia of coal and pressured utilities to build coal plants, hence the 50% of the grid that was coal.
—
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 17 May 2026
Paul took it on the chin, while admitting that the bad reviews stung.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026
Stray bits of hair escaped my ponytail and stung my eyes.
—Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
Now owned by the National Gallery in London, the painting, showing Roman god Cupid complaining to his mother Venus about being stung by bees, can be seen in the center of a blurry, black-and-white photograph dating to the 1940s that was published in a 1978 furniture catalog.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 11 May 2026
Teng stung in fourth The Astros deployed Kai-Wei Teng as an opener for the second time this season.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 10 May 2026
Then again, based on how things went with the Terry Rozier trade and the flagrant foul on LaMelo Ball that went uncalled in real time in the Heat’s play-in elimination last month in Charlotte, getting stung by the Hornets has almost become de rigueur.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2026
And the loss stung in multiple ways.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026
Otherwise, the what-if blues would’ve stung a lot longer.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 17 May 2026
Paul took it on the chin, while admitting that the bad reviews stung.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026
Stray bits of hair escaped my ponytail and stung my eyes.
—Literary Hub, 14 May 2026
Now owned by the National Gallery in London, the painting, showing Roman god Cupid complaining to his mother Venus about being stung by bees, can be seen in the center of a blurry, black-and-white photograph dating to the 1940s that was published in a 1978 furniture catalog.
—Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 11 May 2026
Teng stung in fourth The Astros deployed Kai-Wei Teng as an opener for the second time this season.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 10 May 2026
Then again, based on how things went with the Terry Rozier trade and the flagrant foul on LaMelo Ball that went uncalled in real time in the Heat’s play-in elimination last month in Charlotte, getting stung by the Hornets has almost become de rigueur.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2026
And the loss stung in multiple ways.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026
Otherwise, the what-if blues would’ve stung a lot longer.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stung
Verb
-
Nobody likes being price gouged, whether at the gas pump, ticket purchase, or a rideshare.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Then thunder crashes and a hand with an open wound gets gouged open.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But no matter the prodding, Terminus never wanted the patrons to feel cheated, so the games, while tricky, were winnable, and the prizes reasonable and fair.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Every town has its nostalgic spots—ice cream shops, deli counters, old-school diners—that seem to have cheated time.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Domestic flights will also get surcharged.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Dwight reached out and squeezed my upper arm, pulling me into a bear hug, smashing my face against the rough canvas of his jacket, his gloved hand on my ass pulling me closer.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
-
Patrick Mahomes’ torn right ACL and LCL prevented a late-season surge that might have squeezed KC into the postseason and another fateful meeting.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The jury found that fans were overcharged for tickets as a direct result of this monopoly, paying higher fees for their tickets.—
Letitia James,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
-
On Wednesday, a New York federal jury found that Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally operated as a monopoly and overcharged fans.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On screen, that depth is anchored by Williams and Storrie, actors plucked from restaurant-server obscurity.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
-
And wow, how juicy that fruit is, plucked straight from the plant and carved by Balala with a machete.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
14 May 2026
Verb
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In one study, researchers soaked chia seeds in water for 24 hours.—
Amber J. Tresca,
Verywell Health,
16 May 2026
-
Few things are worse than walking into a bathroom that smells like sour milk because towels or mats have been soaked and never been allowed to fully dry.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Napoleon Solo hustled to first place at the 151st running of the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, coming out on top against 13 other horses in what is the race's biggest field in 15 years.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
-
Dominguez hustled back to the wall and made a spectacular catch, but crashed incredibly hard into the wall.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stung. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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