Acerbic

/əˈsɜːrbɪk/

Meaning & Definition

adjective

having a sharp or bitter taste or smell.

The acerbic flavor of the lemon made the dish remarkably refreshing.

sharp and forthright in speech or writing; biting or cutting in tone.

Her acerbic comments during the meeting left many of her colleagues uncomfortable.

harsh or severe in criticism.

His acerbic review of the play stunned the actors and critics alike.

Derived from Latin 'acerbus', meaning 'harsh' or 'bitter'.

acerbic wit

A form of humor that is sharp and often cutting.

acerbic comment

A remark that is biting or harshly critical.

acerbity

The quality of being acerbic.

acerbate

To make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse.

Biting humor

Her acerbic humor often left people unsure whether to laugh or be offended.

Sarcastic remarks

He replied with an acerbic remark that silenced the room.