Acerbic — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ə-ˈsər-bik/ acer·bic

Meaning & Definition of Acerbic

Acerbic (adjective)

  1. sharply or bitingly critical, sarcastic, or ironic in temper, mood, or tone

Acerbic (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings

    "whispered a steady stream of acerbic comments as the lecturer droned on"

    similar: acerb, acid, acidic, acidulous, acrid, barbed, biting, caustic, corrosive, cutting, mordant, pungent, sarcastic, sardonic, satiric, scalding, scathing, sharp, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, smart-mouthed, snarky, tart
    related: brisk, cross, sharp-tongued, sour, sourish, spiky, tartish, incisive, keen, poignant, trenchant, cynical, dry, ironic, wry, facetious, flippant, tongue-in-cheek, acrimonious, bitter, resentful, vitriolic, harsh, rough, severe, stringent, abrupt, blunt, brusque, concise, crisp, curt, gruff, pithy, snippety, snippy, succinct, terse, backhanded, insincere
    near: amusing, droll, merry, playful, sportive, waggish, gentle, mild, bland, good-humored, good-natured, diplomatic, polite, smooth, suave, urbane, affable, cordial, genial, gracious, hospitable, sociable

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Acerbic

The most common words with a similar meaning to Acerbic:

acerb, acid, acidic, acidulous, acrid, barbed, biting, caustic, corrosive, cutting, mordant, pungent, sarcastic, sardonic, satiric, scalding, scathing, sharp, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, smart-mouthed, snarky, tart

Related Words for Acerbic

brisk, cross, sharp-tongued, sour, sourish, spiky, tartish, incisive, keen, poignant, trenchant, cynical, dry, ironic, wry, facetious, flippant, tongue-in-cheek, acrimonious, bitter, resentful, vitriolic, harsh, rough, severe, stringent, abrupt, blunt, brusque, concise

Near Antonyms of Acerbic

amusing, droll, merry, playful, sportive, waggish, gentle, mild, bland, good-humored, good-natured, diplomatic, polite, smooth, suave, urbane, affable, cordial, genial, gracious, hospitable, sociable

Word Forms of Acerbic

Derived words: acerbically (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Acerbic

acerb + -ic:1

First known use: 1865

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Acerbic

Frequently Asked Questions about Acerbic

What does "Acerbic" mean?

"Acerbic" means sharply or bitingly critical, sarcastic, or ironic in temper, mood, or tone. As an adjective, it is defined as: sharply or bitingly critical, sarcastic, or ironic in temper, mood, or tone.

What is another word for "Acerbic"?

Other words for "Acerbic" include acerb, acid, acidic, acidulous, acrid, barbed, biting and caustic. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Acerbic" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Acerbic"?

There are 63 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Acerbic". Common alternatives include acerb, acid, acidic, acidulous, acrid, barbed, biting, caustic, corrosive and cutting.

How do you use "Acerbic" in a sentence?

Examples of "Acerbic" in a sentence: "whispered a steady stream of acerbic comments as the lecturer droned on".

Is "Acerbic" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Acerbic" is an adjective.

Is "Acerbic" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Acerbic" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Acerbic"?

"Acerbic" is pronounced /ə-ˈsər-bik/ and divided into syllables as acer·bic.

What is the origin of the word "Acerbic"?

"Acerbic" comes from acerb + -ic:1. First known use: 1865.