vitriol

noun

ˈvi-trē-əl How to pronounce vitriol (audio)
Definition of vitriolnext
1
as in bitterness
biting sharpness of feeling or expression a film critic noted for the vitriol and sometimes outright cruelty of his pronouncements

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in abuse
harsh insulting language the review was more than just unfavorable—it was loaded with vitriol

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 vitriol Turn on any cable news network, and the national political landscape can look like a toxic wasteland, defined by vitriol, outrage, even allegations of treason. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026 Any member can spew antisemitic vitriol and call for the destruction of the Jewish State. — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026 TikTok users flooded the video’s comments with both support and vitriol. — Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 5 Aug. 2026 Athletes traditionally encounter vitriol on social media, but a limited number of fans took it much too far with Herro. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for vitriol
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vitriol
  1. bitterness
  2. abuse
  3. hostility
  4. invective
  5. bile
  6. insult
  7. severity
  8. vituperation
Noun
  • This copper beauty serves up bold floral and citrus aromas, plus the signature IPA bitterness.
    — Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Little united the Syrian rebels during the country’s civil war from 2011 to 2024 outside of their hatred of Assad, and Damascus has sought to cultivate this memory of bitterness to keep the country’s disparate groups together.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of bitterness
Noun
  • Hisbah members also face widespread allegations of rights abuses in their enforcement operations, including subjecting offenders to dehumanizing punishments such as public beatings or shaming.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • An autopsy identified multiple injuries, and the DuPage County Coroner’s Office ultimately determined that his death was caused by injuries resulting from child abuse and classified the death as a homicide, the news release said.
    — Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of abuse
Noun
  • Funding for refugee support is drying up, hostility toward Ukrainians is growing, and Poland still lacks a long-term integration strategy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Iran accepted meaningful limits on its nuclear program in 2015, for instance, and reversed decades of hostility toward Saudi Arabia by normalizing ties in 2023.
    — Nate Swanson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of hostility
Noun
  • Each was cast as the antagonist in the game that saw England’s exit a World Cup or European Championship, prompting invective from rival supporters and a siege mentality in Manchester.
    — Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • These invectives evidently haven’t spooked Son, who once predicted that AI superintelligence would exist by 2035.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 16 July 2026
Definition of invective
Noun
  • All law enforcement smell the same, like acrid bile buried in roses.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Richard Lloyd, a founding member and guitarist of the influential rock band Television, has been diagnosed with bile-duct cancer.
    — sameen, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of bile
Noun
  • To call them journalists would be an insult to the profession.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The exchange began when Pham criticized Myers over a play, leading to a heated back-and-forth online, with Pham eventually resorting to personal insults.
    — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of insult
Noun
  • Tyreke Smith had a good month, but the severity of his hamstring injury could make Harris’ path cleaner.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Some recalls, Eskin said, are made after companies’ routine testing catches a pathogen before anyone gets sick, while others involve outbreaks that are already underway and vary widely in size and severity.
    — Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of severity
Noun
  • As these things go, the tweet exposes Hotez to public vituperation on social media and possibly physical harm.
    — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2024
  • On March 12, Nickels tweeted a notice of a scientific conference in Washington at which Peter Daszak, the head of a research funding organization who has long been the target of vituperation by lab-leak advocates, would appear on a panel.
    — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Definition of vituperation

Browse Nearby Words

vitrines
vitriol
vitriolic
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Cite this Entry

“Vitriol.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vitriol. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vitriol

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vitriol

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