bitter

American  

[bit-er] / ˈbɪt ər /

adjective

bitterer, bitterest

1. having a harsh, disagreeably acrid taste, like that of aspirin, quinine, wormwood, or aloes.

   Synonyms:

   distasteful, unpalatable, acrid

2. producing one of the four basic taste sensations; not sour, sweet, or salt.

3. hard to bear; grievous; distressful.

   a bitter sorrow.

   Synonyms:

   painful, poignant

4. causing pain; piercing; stinging.

   a bitter chill.

   Synonyms:

   nipping, biting

5. characterized by intense antagonism or hostility.

   bitter hatred.

   Synonyms:

   relentless, ruthless, cruel, fierce

6. hard to admit or accept.

   a bitter lesson.

7. resentful or cynical.

   bitter words.

   Synonyms:

   scornful, sardonic, biting, caustic, acrimonious

---

noun

1. that which is bitter; bitterness.

   Learn to take the bitter with the sweet.

2. British. a very dry ale having a strong taste of hops.

verb (used with object)

1. to make bitter.

   herbs employed to bitter vermouth.

adverb

1. extremely; very; exceedingly.

   a bitter cold night.

bitter British  

/ ˈbɪtə /

adjective

1. having or denoting an unpalatable harsh taste, as the peel of an orange or coffee dregs Compare sour

2. showing or caused by strong unrelenting hostility or resentment

   he was still bitter about the divorce

3. difficult or unpleasant to accept or admit

   a bitter blow

4. cutting; sarcastic

   bitter words

5. bitingly cold

   a bitter night

---

adverb

1. very; extremely (esp in the phrase bitter cold )

noun

1. a thing that is bitter

2. beer with a high hop content, with a slightly bitter taste

verb

1. to make or become bitter

bitter Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing bitter

• take the bitter with the sweet

---

Other Word Forms

• bitterish adjective
• bitterly adverb
• bitterness noun
• nonbitter adjective
• overbitter adjective
• overbitterly adverb
• unbitter adjective

Etymology

Origin of bitter

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English biter; cognate with German bitter, Old Norse bitr, Gothic baitrs; akin to bite

Explanation

If you usually drink your coffee with lots of cream and sugar in it, you might be surprised at how bitter plain black coffee can taste. Bitter means "having a sharp or harsh flavor." Bitter describes a particular pungent taste, like the sharpness of very dark chocolate (which is sometimes called bittersweet for its mixture of the two flavors). If you imagine taking that bitter taste on your tongue and turning it into an emotion, you've got another meaning of bitter: a resentful, angry feeling. And if you turn that bitter flavor into a physical feeling, you've got an adjective that describes a sharp, unpleasant sensation, like a cold, bitter wind.

Example Sentences

For decades, damming rivers has generated bitter fights in places around the world, and international lenders have come under pressure not to support new projects.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

Harry stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and later relocated to California with Meghan amid a bitter royal family rift.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

And after a bitter three-year strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette over wages and healthcare benefits, the family said in January that the paper will cease publication in May.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

We’re talking about an enormous bureaucratic organization with 2,000 years of weird and troubled history, whose massive internal contradictions and bitter factional disputes are only partly visible to outsiders.

From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026

Oteg was drinking his bitter tea when I left.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Related Words

• acrimonious
• biting
• caustic
• fierce
• hateful
• intense
• rancorous
• resentful
• severe
• sour
• stinging
• vitriolic