acrid

adjective

ˈa-krəd How to pronounce acrid (audio)
Definition of acridnext
1
as in sore
having or showing deep-seated resentment there have been acrid relations between the two families ever since they fought over that strip of land

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in satiric
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings Phillipa's acrid comments about the new employee's clothes were met by laughter from everyone at the lunch table

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective acrid contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of acrid are caustic, mordant, and scathing. While all these words mean "stingingly incisive," acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence.

acrid invective

When would caustic be a good substitute for acrid?

While in some cases nearly identical to acrid, caustic suggests a biting wit.

caustic comments

When can mordant be used instead of acrid?

The words mordant and acrid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.

mordant reviews of the play

In what contexts can scathing take the place of acrid?

In some situations, the words scathing and acrid are roughly equivalent. However, scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity.

a scathing satire

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of acrid Smoke from a Boyle Heights warehouse fire shrouds Dodger Stadium in acrid haze before the Dodgers’ 12-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. — Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026 Fighter jets roared overhead, and air strikes pounded the surrounding hillsides, sending up thick plumes of acrid smoke. — Euan Ward, New Yorker, 29 May 2026 On Thursday, young men cleared away scrap metal from concrete basements amid an acrid smell of burning left from the strike two weeks prior. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Apr. 2026 Verified video and photos from the region showed how sprawling strikes across parts of Beirut, southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley shot towering columns of acrid smoke into the sky above the capital and sparked a desperate evacuation. — Matt Bradley, NBC news, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acrid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acrid
  1. sore
  2. satiric
  3. bitter
  4. sarcastic
  5. angry
  6. acidic
  7. cynical
  8. acid
Adjective
  • Ohtani has not pitched in a game since July 3 due to left knee pain and a sore right biceps.
    — Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Prechtel gets run With Stokes out with a concussion and smallball five Salaun dealing with a sore knee, the Valkyries’ center rotation underwent a major overhaul.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of sore
Adjective
  • Binface, who was first to declare and already a running joke in British elections, drew the most attention because of his satirical spin on politics and persona as a space alien from the planet Sigma IX.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Outlandish costumes Binface is just one in a long line of satirical candidates dating back more than six decades, who have become a unique staple of British elections.
    — Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of satiric
Adjective
  • Moscow hopes to sap Ukraine’s will to fight by denying civilians light, heating and running water during the bitter winter months.
    — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • If his mayoral administration continues to elevate emotions over facts, New York is in for a bitter four years.
    — Daniel Kolkey, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of bitter
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Rogen and Nanjiani manage to steal multiple scenes as the voices of the ladies’ cats Dio and GG, two sarcastic felines who are fed up with their burnout owners.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026
  • This was Perez Hilton, after all, a man who had earned fame in the mid-two-thousands for his salacious, sarcastic, and often sadistic coverage of celebrity suffering.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of sarcastic
Adjective
  • Thrillers like 1990's Hunt for Red October and similar fare make submarine hunting look like the most exciting thing this side of pulling a nose hair out of an angry grizzly bear, but the reality is entirely different.
    — David Szondy August 12, New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Many Democrats, especially younger ones, are angry at Israel over Gaza.
    — Andrew Cuomo, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of angry
Adjective
  • Common culprits are hot, cold, sweet, or acidic foods and drinks.
    — Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Clean granite with mild dish soap, warm water, and a soft cloth; avoid acidic cleaners like vinegar or lemon.
    — Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of acidic
Adjective
  • Unauthorized sequels reveal the extremes of why people make movies in the first place, from purely cynical money grabs to pure — even naive — devotion to characters and their world.
    — Katie Rife, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, an irritable, cynical weatherman sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to report a story about the town’s quaint groundhog ceremony.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of cynical
Adjective
  • There was an acid trip of a halftime show starring Madonna, Justin Bieber, BTS, and Shakira.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 22 July 2026
  • Lithium-ion, lead-acid, sodium-ion and other technologies all have a role to play in the electrification landscape.
    — Darren Tan, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of acid

Browse Nearby Words

acres
acrid
acridity
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Cite this Entry

“Acrid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acrid. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on acrid

Nglish: Translation of acrid for Spanish Speakers

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