Dictionary.com

acerb

[ uh-surb ]
/ əˈsɜrb /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for acerb on Thesaurus.com
adjective
acerbic.
QUIZ
ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?
We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.
Question 1 of 8
Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?
navy
beryl
azure
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT
Meet Grammar CoachWrite or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar helpImprove Your Writing
Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing
Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Origin of acerb

1650–60; <Latin acerbus;see acerbic

Words nearby acerb

ace point, acequia, acer, aceramic, acerate, acerb, acerbate, acerbic, acerbity, acerola, acerose
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to acerb

acerbic, acetous, acid, acidulous, acrid, bitter, harsh, sharp, tangy, tart

How to use acerb in a sentence

  • The fruit remains acerb and hard; the tree declines to be "ameliorated" for the good of mankind.

    Prairie Gold|Various

  • She denied that stenographers could ever form a union, but she could not answer his acerb, “Why not?”

    The Job|Sinclair Lewis

  • Thereupon followed a soft discussion that was as near being acerb as nails are near velvet paws.

    Vittoria, Complete|George Meredith
FEEDBACK