Stung

stʌŋ

Meaning & Definition

verb

past tense and past participle of 'sting', meaning to pierce or wound with a sharp-pointed structure or to cause a sharp, often brief pain.

She was stung by a bee while she was gardening.

to be affected by something (often used figuratively) that causes a sharp, emotional pain or discomfort.

He felt stung by her harsh words.

to cause someone to feel a sudden emotional distress or injury.

The criticism stung him deeply.

Middle English stungen, from Old English stingan

stung by criticism

to feel hurt or offended by someone's negative remarks

stung with regret

to feel intense regret over a past action

stung like a bee

to feel a sudden and sharp pain or disappointment

sting

to pierce or wound with a sharp point

stingy

unwilling to spend or give; miserly

to be cheated or tricked

I got stung on that deal.

to feel betrayed or hurt by someone

I can't believe she would do that to me; I really feel stung.