ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Bitter

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈbɪt.ə/ · Part of speech adjective

Quick meaning: Bitter is an adjective meaning Having an acrid taste (usually from a basic substance).

Meaning

Having an acrid taste (usually from a basic substance).

More Meanings

  1. Harsh, piercing, acerbic or stinging.
  2. Hateful or hostile.
  3. Cynical and resentful.
  4. To an intense or severe degree; bitterly.
  5. (usually in the plural bitters) A liquid or powder, made from bitter herbs, used in mixed drinks or as a tonic.
  6. A type of beer heavily flavored with hops.
  7. (nautical) A turn of a cable about the bitts.

Example Sentences

They're bitter enemies.
The coffee tasted bitter.
Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
It was at the end of February, […] when the world was cold, and a bitter wind howled down the moors […].

Word Forms

Synonyms for bitter

Depending on context, synonyms include acrid, caustic, jaded, acerb, acerbic, bittersome.

Antonyms for bitter

Common opposites include optimistic, sweet.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include acerb, acerbic, acrid, acrimonious, acid, painful.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.