acrid

[ak-rid]

adjective

1. sharp or biting to the taste or smell; bitterly pungent; irritating to the eyes, nose, etc..

   acrid smoke from burning rubber.

2. extremely or sharply stinging or bitter; exceedingly caustic.

   acrid remarks.

acrid

/ əˈkrɪdɪtɪ, ˈækrɪd /

adjective

1. unpleasantly pungent or sharp to the smell or taste

2. sharp or caustic, esp in speech or nature

Other Word Forms

• acridity noun
• acridness noun
• acridly adverb
• subacrid adjective
• subacridly adverb
• subacridness noun
• subacridity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of acrid¹

1705–15; < Latin ācr- (stem of ācer ) sharp, sour + -id ⁴, perhaps through influence of acid

Word History and Origins

Origin of acrid¹

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

Example Sentences

The acrid smoke wafting from burning waste in her neighbourhood in Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos, made it hard to breathe.

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At the Chhath festivities too, firecrackers lit up the sky, leaving the air acrid with the smell of burnt sulphur.

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New Delhi and its sprawling metropolitan region of 30 million people are regularly ranked among the world's most polluted capitals, with acrid smog blanketing the skyline each winter.

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In recent years, complaints of acrid odors, fiery accidents, soot and harmful emissions gained new resonance as public officials became more sensitive to accusations of environmental damage.

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New Delhi and its sprawling metropolitan region -- home to more than 30 million people -- are regularly ranked among the world's most polluted capitals, with acrid smog blanketing the skyline each winter.

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Related Words

• pungent 
• stinging www.thesaurus.com