bitter
having a harsh, disagreeably acrid taste, like that of aspirin, quinine, wormwood, or aloes.
producing one of the four basic taste sensations; not sour, sweet, or salt.
hard to bear; grievous; distressful: a bitter sorrow.
causing pain; piercing; stinging: a bitter chill.
characterized by intense antagonism or hostility: bitter hatred.
hard to admit or accept: a bitter lesson.
resentful or cynical: bitter words.
that which is bitter; bitterness: Learn to take the bitter with the sweet.
British. a very dry ale having a strong taste of hops.
to make bitter: herbs employed to bitter vermouth.
extremely; very; exceedingly: a bitter cold night.
Origin of bitter
1Other words for bitter
1 | acrid, unpalatable, distasteful |
3 | distressing, poignant, painful |
4 | biting, nipping |
5 | fierce, cruel, ruthless, relentless |
7 | acrimonious, caustic, biting, sardonic, scornful |
Other words from bitter
- bit·ter·ish, adjective
- bit·ter·ly, adverb
- bit·ter·ness, noun
- non·bit·ter, adjective
- o·ver·bit·ter, adjective
- over·bit·ter·ly, adverb
- un·bit·ter, adjective
Words that may be confused with bitter
- bidder, bitter
Words Nearby bitter
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use bitter in a sentence
Changes since that sluggish start have sent the state zooming up the national listings, statistically, but also have caused bitter fighting about which counties and regions should get doses first.
Confusion and chaos: Inside the vaccine rollout in D.C., Maryland and Virginia | Julie Zauzmer, Gregory S. Schneider, Erin Cox | February 9, 2021 | Washington PostThese slightly bitter, slightly sweet spritzes have no alcohol but offer the same satisfying feeling of drinking a balanced cocktail.
From the Cut: 33 Valentine’s Day Gifts for the Foodie in Your Life | The Cut Staff | February 8, 2021 | EaterThis film delves into the fascinating world of competitive arcade gaming, following two men engaged in a bitter battle for the title of Donkey Kong record holder.
I’ve used them on bitter powder days, when friends had to head inside to warm up, and they live in my backcountry ski pack in case something goes wrong.
My Favorite Winter Gloves for Various Activities | Jakob Schiller | February 3, 2021 | Outside OnlineThen there’s Ghia, a Mediterranean-style aperitif that builds on a base of riesling grape juice with heady botanicals like bitter gentian root and bright yuzu.
Keep dry January going all year with these cutting-edge non-alcoholic cocktails | By Dan Q. Dao/Saveur | February 2, 2021 | Popular-Science
Weeks retained an unparalleled legal team, which included bitter political rivals Hamilton and Burr.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion | Nina Strochlic | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTFor Randy, a 50-year-old ex-Mormon gay man, this cure was a particularly bitter pill to swallow.
Your Husband Is Definitely Gay: TLC’s Painful Portrait of Mormonism | Samantha Allen | January 1, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTThis is a time for many bitter tears and, one can only hope, a better future.
After Torture Report, Our Moral Authority As a Nation Is Gone | Nick Gillespie | December 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThere was a collective gasp at both the four-letter word and the bitter sentiment it carried.
How Richard Pryor Beat Bill Cosby and Transformed America | David Yaffe, Scott Saul | December 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBy halftime a crowd of what appeared to be a few hundred people had amassed in the bitter cold.
‘I Can’t Breathe’ Makes It Onto the Court for Will and Kate to See | Jacob Siegel | December 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAs Felipe talked with him, he perceived even more clearly how bitter and unjust his mother had been to Alessandro.
Ramona | Helen Hunt JacksonO death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that hath peace in his possessions!
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | VariousShe suddenly sank back upon the pillow and gave up to bitter anguish, when she recalled what had followed.
The Homesteader | Oscar MicheauxGordon gave a bitter laugh and went on, with the same strange, serious air of explaining his plan.
Confidence | Henry JamesIf he had only been himself I should have had nothing more to desire, but he was in one of his bitter, sarcastic moods.
Music-Study in Germany | Amy Fay
British Dictionary definitions for bitter
/ (ˈbɪtə) /
having or denoting an unpalatable harsh taste, as the peel of an orange or coffee dregs: Compare sour (def. 1)
showing or caused by strong unrelenting hostility or resentment: he was still bitter about the divorce
difficult or unpleasant to accept or admit: a bitter blow
cutting; sarcastic: bitter words
bitingly cold: a bitter night
very; extremely (esp in the phrase bitter cold)
a thing that is bitter
British beer with a high hop content, with a slightly bitter taste
to make or become bitter
Origin of bitter
1- See also bitters
Derived forms of bitter
- bitterly, adverb
- bitterness, noun
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with bitter
In addition to the idioms beginning with bitter
- bitter end
- bitter pill to swallow
also see:
- take the bitter with the sweet
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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