acerbic

American  

[uh-sur-bik] / əˈsɜr bɪk /

adjective

1. sour or astringent in taste.

   Lemon juice is acerbic.

2. harsh or severe, as of temper or expression.

   acerbic criticism.

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acerbic British  

/ əˈsɜːbɪk /

adjective

1. harsh, bitter, or astringent; sour

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Other Word Forms

• acerbically adverb
• unacerbic adjective
• unacerbically adverb

Etymology

Origin of acerbic

1860–65; < Latin acerb ( us ) sour, unripe, bitterly harsh + -ic, irregular for -ous

Example Sentences

The Soviet Union was a land of shortages, but there was no shortage of acerbic sayings.

From The Wall Street Journal

Nuzzi built her career covering high-profile political figures with a mix of insider access and acerbic reporting, a combination that has made her both influential and controversial.

From Salon

Ms. McGarr, who teaches at University of Wisconsin-Madison, is often acerbic about her subjects but notes that they were “awash in patriotic fervor at the same time that they were distrustful and cynical.”

From The Wall Street Journal

As a younger man, Munger could be cranky and acerbic; now, he was warm and reflective.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet it’s also, via Hart’s acerbic bon mots, an incisive exploration of two opposing views of art.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• caustic
• harsh
• sharp