Bite — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈbīt/

Meaning & Definition of Bite

Bite (verb)

  1. to seize especially with teeth or jaws so as to enter, grip, or wound
  2. to wound, pierce, or sting especially with a fang or a proboscis
  3. to cut or pierce with or as if with an edged weapon

Bite (noun)

  1. the act of biting
  2. the manner of biting; especially, dentistry, occlusion
  3. food

Bite (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a harsh or sharp quality

    "the fall winds had a real bite"

    similar: acerbity, acidity, acidness, acridity, acridness, acrimoniousness, acrimony, acuteness, asperity, bitterness, edge, harshness, keenness, poignance, poignancy, pungency, roughness, sharpness, tartness
    related: ginger, punch, spice, tang, raucousness, severeness, severity, shrillness, virulence, vitriol, cattiness, maliciousness, pointedness, thorniness
    opposite: mildness, softness
    near: gentleness, kindliness

  2. a small piece or quantity of food

    "had only a bite to eat before rushing off"

    similar: morsel, mouthful, nibble, nugget, taste, tidbit
    related: collop, medallion, noisette, nosh, snack, appetizer, canapé, hors d'oeuvre, bit, chew, crumb, dab, dribble, driblet, fleck, hint, mote, nubbin, particle, pinch, scrap, scruple, shred, smidgen, snip, snippet, speck, spot, sprinkling, suspicion, tittle, touch, trace, dash, drop, lap, lick, gulp, swallow, swig

  3. an uncomfortable degree of coolness

    "weather with a bite that suggested winter was right around the corner"

    similar: bitterness, bleakness, chill, chilliness, nip, nippiness, rawness, sharpness
    related: briskness, crispness, coldness, frigidity, frigidness, frostiness, gelidity, iciness, wintriness, cold, freeze, snap
    near: balminess, warmness, warmth, heat, hotness, sultriness

Bite (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to be objectionable or unsatisfactory

    "man, that really bites that you have to work on the weekend"

    similar: smell, stink, suck (informal + sometimes impolite)
    opposite: rock (slang), rule (slang)

Related Entry: Bite (at) (verb)

Bite (at) is a different word from Bite. The synonyms below are for bite (at), not for bite.

  1. to consume or wear away gradually

    "the waves were biting at the sand castle I had worked so hard on"

    similar: corrode, eat, erode, fret, gnaw, nibble
    related: break down, break up, decompose, disintegrate, dissolve, decimate, destroy, devastate, ruin, waste, wreck
    near: freshen, recreate, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, renew, restore, revitalize, revive

Related Entry: Bite (on) (verb)

Bite (on) is a different word from Bite. The synonyms below are for bite (on), not for bite.

  1. to crush or grind with the teeth

    "she tends to bite on her pencils when she thinks hard"

    similar: champ, chaw, chew, chomp (on), crunch (on), gnaw (on), masticate, nibble, sink one's teeth into
    related: ruminate, munch, nosh, snack, consume, eat, ingest, swallow, bolt, devour, gobble (up or down), gorge, gulp, scarf, scoff, wolf, nip, peck (at), pick (at), gum, mumble

Related Entry: Bit (verb)

Bit is a different word from Bite. The synonyms below are for bit, not for bite.

  1. to be objectionable or unsatisfactory

    "man, that really bites that you have to work on the weekend"

    similar: smelled, stank, sucked (informal + sometimes impolite)
    opposite: rocked (slang), ruled (slang)

Related Entry: Bitten (verb)

Bitten is a different word from Bite. The synonyms below are for bitten, not for bite.

  1. to be objectionable or unsatisfactory

    "man, that really bites that you have to work on the weekend"

    similar: smelled, stunk, sucked (informal + sometimes impolite)
    opposite: rocked (slang), ruled (slang)

Related Entry: Bite the dust (phrase)

Bite the dust is a different word from Bite. The synonyms below are for bite the dust, not for bite.

  1. to come to an end

    "Fortunately, the fad finally bit the dust and all the trend followers moved on to the next thing."

    similar: break off, break up, cease, close, conclude, dead-end, determine, die, discontinue, elapse, end, expire, finish, go, halt, lapse, leave off, let up, pass, quit, stop, terminate, wind up, wink (out)
    related: desist (from), lay off (of), refrain (from), give over (British), knock off, pack (up or in), break down, conk (out), cut out, stall, pause, stay, suspend, abate, peter (out), wind down
    opposite: continue, hang on, persist
    near: draw out, extend, prolong, protract

  2. to stop living

    "The marigolds managed to produce a few last autumn blooms before biting the dust."

    similar: check out, conk (out), croak (slang), decease, demise, depart, die, drop, end, exit, expire, fall, flatline, go, kick in (slang), kick off (slang), pass (on), pass away, part, peg out (chiefly British), perish, pop off, step out, succumb, buy it, give up the ghost, kick the bucket, snuff it (British)
    related: predecease, consume, disappear, dry up, fade, fail
    opposite: breathe, live
    near: come to, revive, linger, be, exist, subsist, flourish, prosper, thrive

Related Entry: Bite-size (adjective)

Bite-size is a different word from Bite. The synonyms below are for bite-size, not for bite.

  1. as in capsule

    similar: capsule, deficient, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, wanting, meager, poor, scant, scanty, scarce, skimp, skimpy, slender, slim, spare, sparse, stingy, bitty, inappreciable, infinitesimal, little bitty, micro, microscopic, mini, miniature, miniaturized, minikin, minim, minuscule, minute, pinpoint, teensy, teensy-weensy, teeny, teeny-weeny, tiny, wee, weeny, runtish, runty, scrubby, stunted, dwarf, toy, bantam, diminutive, dinky, dwarfish, fine, half-pint, Lilliputian, little, pint-size, pocket, pocket-size, puny, pygmy, shrimpy, slight, small, smallish, subnormal, toylike, undersized
    opposite: big, biggish, considerable, goodly, grand, great, handsome, husky, king-size, large, largish, outsize, overscale, oversize, sizable, substantial, tidy, whacking, whopping, bulky, hefty, hulking, massive, voluminous, boxcar, Brobdingnagian, Bunyanesque, cavernous, colossal, cyclopean, elephantine, enormous, galactic, gargantuan, giant, gigantic, gross, herculean, heroic, Himalayan, huge, humongous, immense, jumbo, leviathan, mammoth, monolithic, monstrous, monumental, mountainous, pharaonic, prodigious, staggering, stupendous, titanic, tremendous, vast, abundant, ample, appreciable, bountiful, copious, generous, healthy, liberal, plenteous, plentiful, fat, thick, broad, wide, boundless, cosmic, immeasurable, incalculable, infinite, adequate, enough, sufficient

Related Entry: Sound bite (noun)

Sound bite is a different word from Bite. The synonyms below are for sound bite, not for bite.

  1. as in clip, snippet

    similar: clip, snippet, excerpt, extract, passage, citation, quotation, locus classicus, longueur, purple passage, context, sample, selection

Related Entry: Put (verb)

Put is a different word from Bite. The synonyms below are for put, not for bite.

  1. to arrange something in a certain spot or position

    "you can put this box next to the bookshelf"

    similar: depose, deposit, dispose, emplace, fix, lay, place, position, set, set up, situate, stick
    related: move, rearrange, reorder, shift, orient, establish, locate, plant, settle, clap, flop, plank, plop, plump, plunk, plunk down, slap, ensconce, niche, assemble, collect, carry, berth, park, affix, anchor, lock, lodge, wedge, array, lay out, line up, queue, rank, set down
    near: relocate, remove, take, banish, dislodge, displace, replace, supersede, supplant

  2. to convey in appropriate or telling terms

    "tried to think of a good way of putting the news"

    similar: articulate, clothe, couch, express, formulate, phrase, say, state, word
    related: craft, frame, hint, imply, insinuate, intimate, suggest, paraphrase, rephrase, restate, reword, summarize, translate, communicate, disclose, speak, talk, tell, utter, verbalize, vocalize, describe, render, write up

  3. to decide the size, amount, number, or distance of (something) without actual measurement

    "put the time of the photograph at about noon"

    similar: calculate, call, conjecture, estimate, figure, gauge, guess, judge, make, place, reckon, suppose
    related: conclude, deduce, extrapolate, gather, infer, reason, understand
    near: calibrate, measure, scale, compute, work out

  4. to establish or apply as a charge or penalty

    "a proposal to put a special tax on luxuries"

    similar: assess, charge, exact, fine, impose, lay, levy
    related: dock, excise, mulct, penalize, tax, extort, shake down, wrest, wring, bleed, fleece, gouge, milk, skin, squeeze, coerce, compel, force, inflict, wreak, set, reapply, reimpose, relay
    opposite: remit
    near: abate, diminish, lessen, forgive, release, condone, disregard, excuse, gloss (over), gloze (over), ignore, pardon

  5. to change (something) so as to make it suitable for a new use or situation

    "put the words of his patriotic poem to the tune of a well-known drinking song"

    similar: acclimate, acclimatize, accommodate, adapt, adjust, condition, conform, doctor, edit, fashion, fit, shape, suit, tailor
    related: readapt, readjust, customize, gear, match, model, pattern, attune, correct, harmonize, square, tune, establish, root, settle, acquaint, familiarize, orient, orientate, equip, prepare, prime, rehearse, harden, inure, season, toughen, alter, convert, make over, modify, recast, reclaim, recycle, redesign, redevelop, redo, reengineer, refashion, refigure, refit, refocus, reinvent, rejigger, remake, remodel, revamp, revise, rework, transform, accustom, habilitate, habituate, naturalize, ready, train, bend, fiddle (with), fine-tune, phase, register, regulate, rig
    near: misadjust

  6. to risk (something) on the outcome of an uncertain event

    "deciding to go for broke, he put $1000 on a horse that had 20 to 1 odds"

    similar: bet, gamble, go, lay, play, stake, wager
    related: bid, offer, adventure, chance, hazard, speculate, venture, endanger, imperil, jeopardize

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Bite

The most common words with a similar meaning to Bite:

Informal + sometimes impolite: suck
acerbity, acidity, acidness, acridity, acridness, acrimoniousness, acrimony, acuteness, asperity, bitterness, edge, harshness, keenness, poignance, poignancy, pungency, roughness, sharpness, tartness, morsel, mouthful, nibble, nugget, taste, tidbit, bleakness, chill, chilliness, nip, nippiness, rawness, smell, stink

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Bite

Words with the opposite meaning of Bite:

mildness, softness, rock, rule

Related Words for Bite

ginger, punch, spice, tang, raucousness, severeness, severity, shrillness, virulence, vitriol, cattiness, maliciousness, pointedness, thorniness, collop, medallion, noisette, nosh, snack, appetizer, canapé, hors d'oeuvre, bit, chew, crumb, dab, dribble, driblet, fleck, hint

Near Antonyms of Bite

gentleness, kindliness, balminess, warmness, warmth, heat, hotness, sultriness

Word Forms of Bite

Inflections: bit, bitten, biting, bites

Derived words: biter (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Bite

Middle English biten, going back to Old English bītan, going back to Germanic *bītan- (whence Old Saxon bītan "to bite, cut into," Old High German bīzan, Old Norse bíta, Gothic beitan), going back to Indo-European *bhei̯d- "split," whence also Latin findere "to split, cleave, divide" (from a derivative *bhi-n-d-), Sanskrit abhet "has split," bhinátti "(s/he) splits" and perhaps Greek pheídomai, pheídesthai "to spare, save, refrain from"

First known use: before 12th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Bite

Words & Phrases Containing Bite

bite off more than one can chew, bite one's tongue, bite plate, bite-size, bite the bullet, bite the dust, bite the hand that feeds one, bite back

Frequently Asked Questions about Bite

What does "Bite" mean?

"Bite" means to seize especially with teeth or jaws so as to enter, grip, or wound. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to seize especially with teeth or jaws so as to enter, grip, or wound. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Bite"?

Other words for "Bite" include acerbity, acidity, acidness, acridity, acridness, acrimoniousness, acrimony and acuteness. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Bite" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Bite"?

There are 100 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Bite". Common alternatives include acerbity, acidity, acidness, acridity, acridness, acrimoniousness, acrimony, acuteness, asperity and bitterness.

What is the opposite of "Bite"?

Antonyms of "Bite" include mildness, softness, rock and rule. Near antonyms include gentleness, kindliness, balminess and warmness.

How do you use "Bite" in a sentence?

Examples of "Bite" in a sentence: "the fall winds had a real bite"; "had only a bite to eat before rushing off"; "weather with a bite that suggested winter was right around the corner".

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

"Bite" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

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

As a B1-level word, "Bite" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Bite"?

"Bite" is pronounced /ˈbīt/.