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.

---

Other Word Forms

• overbitterness noun

Etymology

Origin of bitterness

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

Example Sentences

I was fearful too because, after living through the horror of the bombing of Dresden, everyone we came across was full of anger and bitterness against the Americans and the British.

From Literature

He took some dried willow bark from his medicine pouch and chewed it, gagging on its gritty bitterness.

From Literature

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

From The Wall Street Journal

The word burst out of me, weighted with bitterness.

From Literature

I’ve unleashed too much bitterness; the conversation is impossible to save with jokes now.

From Literature

Related Words

• anguish
• hostility
• pain
• sarcasm