Synonyms

sharp-tongued

American

[shahrp-tuhngd] / ˈʃɑrpˈtʌŋd /

adjective

characterized by or given to harshness, bitterness, or sarcasm in speech.

sharp-tongued British

adjective

bitter or critical in speech; sarcastic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of sharp-tongued

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Gary Oldman is having a blast as Jackson Lamb, the greasy, rumpled, sharp-tongued and strategically flatulent keeper of a den of MI5 misfits.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2025

Before he was a TV host or culinary demigod, Anthony Bourdain was a writer: sharp-tongued, sensual, and totally unafraid to follow a story wherever it led.

From Salon • Jun. 25, 2025

The 60-year-old brings with him a folksy, plain-spoken and sharp-tongued approach to taking on the Republican opposition.

From BBC • Aug. 6, 2024

On that show, Susie Essman played the sharp-tongued Susie Greene, who served as Larry David’s chief antagonist.

From New York Times • Feb. 3, 2024

I waited for her to make a sharp-tongued remark, but she didn’t.

From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023