acerbic
Americanadjective
-
sour or astringent in taste.
Lemon juice is acerbic.
-
harsh or severe, as of temper or expression.
acerbic criticism.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of acerbic
1860–65; < Latin acerb ( us ) sour, unripe, bitterly harsh + -ic, irregular for -ous
Explanation
If you say something acerbic, or harshly bitter, to someone, it can leave a bitter taste in your own mouth that lingers, and the acerbic, or acidic, words can eat away at the person on the receiving end too. It is fitting that the first part of acerbic sounds like the first part of "acid," because the Latin source of acerbic is acerbus, "sour-tasting." Acerbic speech is like acid, because it is sour and corrodes, or weakens, relationships. There are ways to use sharp words for humor, and some comedians are known for their "acerbic wit," but just as you would take safety precautions in using acid in a science lab, you should be cautious about using acerbic language in conversation.
Vocabulary lists containing acerbic
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "A"
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Public discourse is overburdened with talking heads and acerbic remarks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Remember, Trump can and does do warmth when he wants to, as well as acerbic.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
“Thanks for including me,” wrote Denise Dresser, known for her acerbic anti-government columns.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Munn’s acerbic, ambitious Levitt is a woman from humble beginnings who marries into wealth, only to become a social pariah after a sinister plot involving her husband is revealed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 2026
Kainene had always been the withdrawn child, the sullen and often acerbic teenager, the one who, because she did not try to please their parents, left Olanna with that duty.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
