acrid

[ ak-rid ]

/ ˈæk rɪd /

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See synonyms for: acrid / acridity / acridness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

sharp or biting to the taste or smell; bitterly pungent; irritating to the eyes, nose, etc.: acrid smoke from burning rubber.

extremely or sharply stinging or bitter; exceedingly caustic: acrid remarks.

QUIZ

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If autumn is your ideal season, spice up your repertoire of "fall" vocabulary with this quiz on some warm and vivid descriptive words for the season.

Question 1 of 10

Which of the following words means “to make a crackling sound; crackle”?

crisp

crepitate

fuscous

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Origin of acrid

1705–15; <Latin ācr- (stem of ācer) sharp, sour + -id⁴, perhaps through influence of acid

OTHER WORDS FROM acrid

a·crid·i·ty

[uh-krid-i-tee], /əˈkrɪd ɪ ti/, ac·rid·ness, nounac·rid·ly, adverbsub·ac·rid, adjectivesub·ac·rid·ly, adverb

sub·ac·rid·ness, nounsub·a·crid·i·ty, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH acrid

acerbic, acid, acrid

Words nearby acrid

acre-foot, acre-inch, Acrel's ganglion, Acremonium, acre right, acrid, acridid, acridine, acridine orange, acridine yellow, acriflavine

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use acrid in a sentence

The sun was still low in the sky, obscured by the Pentagon and the enormous billowing clouds of acrid smoke, making it hauntingly dark.
Sept. 11, 2001: An ordinary work day, then surreal scenes of dread and death|David Maraniss|September 10, 2021|Washington Post
Still, things feel more acrid than they were during Impeachment Summer.
Four Decades of Declining Trust in D.C.|Lloyd Green|August 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Unlike California, it was physical, ugly and acrid back then.
Asians vs. Affirmative Action|Lloyd Green|March 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With 2014 as a congressional election year, the acrid scrums of 2013 will give way to the combat of the campaign.
Want Hope in 2014? Forget Politics, Focus on Energy and Medicine|Lloyd Green|December 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Amidst much screeching of breaks and the acrid smell of burning rubber, Cameron executed a high speed u-turn.
The Cameron Option|Peter Oborne|November 12, 2008|DAILY BEAST
They were hitting on all cylinders as they mined the acrid ore of Mamet's singular cynicism.
First Peek: Jeremy Piven Debuts On Broadway|Kevin Sessums|October 5, 2008|DAILY BEAST
Its taste is curiously acrid; and (as might be expected) it is freely used as a tonic, and is very good for the purpose.
The Cradle of Mankind|W.A. Wigram
Another call followed it, and then a throaty thrilling, and then another short series of acrid and moving calls.
In Accordance with the Evidence|Oliver Onions
He was huge of build, with a long grey beard to which adhered stale morsels of food and the acrid scent of strong cigars.
Sinister Street, vol. 1|Compton Mackenzie
There was a sound of splintering glass and the acrid smell of smoke.
Jane Journeys On|Ruth Comfort Mitchell
If he has an acrid wit he may make us ashamed of our highest enthusiasms.
By the Christmas Fire|Samuel McChord Crothers

British Dictionary definitions for acrid

acrid

/ (ˈækrɪd) /

adjective

unpleasantly pungent or sharp to the smell or taste

sharp or caustic, esp in speech or nature

Derived forms of acrid

acridity (əˈkrɪdɪtɪ) or acridness, nounacridly, adverb

Word Origin for acrid

C18: from Latin ācer sharp, sour; probably formed on the model of acid

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

Medical definitions for acrid

acrid

[ ăk′rĭd ]

adj.

Unpleasantly sharp, pungent, or bitter to the taste or smell.

Other words from acrid

a•crid′i•ty (ə-krĭd′ĭ-tē) null n.

acrid

Origin of acrid

OTHER WORDS FROM acrid

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH acrid

Words nearby acrid

Words related to acrid

How to use acrid in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for acrid

Derived forms of acrid

Word Origin for acrid

Medical definitions for acrid

Other words from acrid