bitterness
Americannoun
-
a harsh, acrid taste that is one of the four basic taste sensations; a taste that is not sour, sweet, or salty.
The beer’s initial flavor profile is a faint bitterness, with a lingering, slightly cloying sweetness.
-
a feeling of pain or distress.
The bitter herbs at a Passover Seder are meant to remind us of the bitterness of slavery.
-
a feeling of antagonism, hostility, or resentfulness.
There was no shortage of people expressing frustration and bitterness about the slow pace of the relief efforts.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of bitterness
Vocabulary lists containing bitterness
"America"
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ness
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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.
Such a cloying tone from the queen of bitterness!
From Slate • May 6, 2026
The couple's bitterness towards their younger counterparts is "rooted in envy", Mulligan says.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
The discord began at a time when bitterness about Spain’s colonial legacy had largely receded, and many Mexicans celebrate their mixed European and Indigenous heritage.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026
The brown butter lends a nutty undertone and caramel depth, a quiet bitterness that keeps the sweetness in check.
From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026
He had not been home for two days and three nights, and when he did return they quarreled with more than their usual bitterness.
From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin
Definitions 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.
