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

To call him a good loser is simply untrue—though from what we can tell the bitterness was always directed inward.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

The brown butter lends a nutty undertone and caramel depth, a quiet bitterness that keeps the sweetness in check.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

With emotion can come suspicion, bitterness and rancour.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

At the time, the board envisioned a power-sharing arrangement between the two Bobs, but it ultimately fueled bitterness.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2026

“When I wrote that letter,” replied Darcy, “I believed myself perfectly calm and cool, but I am since convinced that it was written in a dreadful bitterness of spirit.”

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

Related Words

• anguish
• hostility
• pain
• sarcasm