bitterness

American  

[bit-er-nis] / ˈbɪt ər nɪs /

noun

1. a harsh, acrid taste that is one of the four basic taste sensations; a taste that is not sour, sweet, or salty.

   The beer’s initial flavor profile is a faint bitterness, with a lingering, slightly cloying sweetness.

2. a feeling of pain or distress.

   The bitter herbs at a Passover Seder are meant to remind us of the bitterness of slavery.

3. a feeling of antagonism, hostility, or resentfulness.

   There was no shortage of people expressing frustration and bitterness about the slow pace of the relief efforts.

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Other Word Forms

• overbitterness noun

Etymology

Origin of bitterness

bitter ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

The rest of the band joins in as Ayewa calls for the listener to look up to a world above war, bitterness, and division.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Tahini has a kind of quiet luxury to it — less sweet than nut butters, less showy, with a soft, earthy depth that can tip, just slightly, into bitterness in a way that feels intentional.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026

We know how this game ends: in bitterness and resentment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

She described forgiveness not as saying it was OK, but as releasing the "bitterness so it no longer dominates how you feel".

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

There was bitterness on the part of blacks as well.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

• anguish
• hostility
• pain
• sarcasm