acrid

[ ak-rid ]
See synonyms for acrid on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. sharp or biting to the taste or smell; bitterly pungent; irritating to the eyes, nose, etc.: acrid smoke from burning rubber.

  2. extremely or sharply stinging or bitter; exceedingly caustic: acrid remarks.

Origin of acrid

1
1705–15; <Latin ācr- (stem of ācer) sharp, sour + -id4, perhaps through influence of acid

Other words from acrid

  • a·crid·i·ty [uh-krid-i-tee], /əˈkrɪd ɪ ti/, ac·rid·ness, noun
  • ac·rid·ly, adverb
  • sub·ac·rid, adjective
  • sub·ac·rid·ly, adverb
  • sub·ac·rid·ness, noun
  • sub·a·crid·i·ty, noun

Words that may be confused with acrid

Words Nearby acrid

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use acrid in a sentence

  • Its taste is curiously acrid; and (as might be expected) it is freely used as a tonic, and is very good for the purpose.

    The Cradle of Mankind | W.A. Wigram
  • Another call followed it, and then a throaty thrilling, and then another short series of acrid and moving calls.

  • He was huge of build, with a long grey beard to which adhered stale morsels of food and the acrid scent of strong cigars.

    Sinister Street, vol. 1 | Compton Mackenzie
  • There was a sound of splintering glass and the acrid smell of smoke.

    Jane Journeys On | Ruth Comfort Mitchell
  • If he has an acrid wit he may make us ashamed of our highest enthusiasms.

    By the Christmas Fire | Samuel McChord Crothers

British Dictionary definitions for acrid

acrid

/ (ˈækrɪd) /


adjective
  1. unpleasantly pungent or sharp to the smell or taste

  2. sharp or caustic, esp in speech or nature

Origin of acrid

1
C18: from Latin ācer sharp, sour; probably formed on the model of acid

Derived forms of acrid

  • acridity (əˈkrɪdɪtɪ) or acridness, noun
  • acridly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012