- acerb
- adjective1. sour or bitter in taste• Syn: ↑acerbic, ↑astringent• Similar to: ↑sour• Derivationally related forms: ↑astringency (for: ↑astringent), ↑astringence (for: ↑astringent), ↑acerbity (for: ↑acerbic)2. harsh or corrosive in tone-
an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose
-a barrage of acid comments
-her acrid remarks make her many enemies
-bitter words
-blistering criticism
-caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics
-a sulfurous denunciation
-a vitriolic critique
• Syn:↑acerbic, ↑acid, ↑acrid, ↑bitter, ↑blistering, ↑caustic, ↑sulfurous, ↑sulphurous, ↑virulent, ↑vitriolic• Similar to: ↑unpleasant• Derivationally related forms:
Useful english dictionary. 2012.