bitter (ˈbɪtə
)
Definitions
adjective
- having or denoting an unpalatable harsh taste, as the peel of an orange or coffee dregs Compare sour (sense 1)
- showing or caused by strong unrelenting hostility or resentment ⇒
he was still bitter about the divorce
- difficult or unpleasant to accept or admit ⇒
a bitter blow
- cutting; sarcastic ⇒
bitter words
- bitingly cold ⇒
a bitter night
adverb
- very; extremely (esp in the phrase bitter cold)
noun
- a thing that is bitter
- British beer with a high hop content, with a slightly bitter taste
verb
- to make or become bitter
See also
bittersAlternative Forms
ˈbitterly adverb ˈbitterness nounWord Origin
Old English biter ; related to bītan to biteSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
grievous,
hard,
severe,
distressing,
fierce,
harsh,
cruel,
savage,
ruthless,
dire,
relentless,
poignant,
ferocious,
galling,
unrelenting,
merciless,
remorseless,
gut-wrenching,
vexatious,
hard-hearted,
=
resentful,
hurt,
wounded,
angry,
offended,
sour,
put out,
sore,
choked,
crabbed,
acrimonious,
aggrieved,
sullen,
miffed,
embittered,
begrudging,
peeved,
piqued,
rancorous,
=
freezing,
biting,
severe,
intense,
raw,
fierce,
chill,
stinging,
penetrating,
arctic,
icy,
polar,
Siberian,
glacial,
wintry,
=
sour,
biting,
sharp,
acid,
harsh,
unpleasant,
tart,
astringent,
acrid,
unsweetened,
vinegary,
acidulated,
acerb
Translations
- British English:
bitter
In a bitter argument, people argue very angrily.It was a bitter attack on the Government.ˈbɪtə ADJECTIVE It was a bitter attack on the Government.
- Spanish:
amargo
adj amarga
- French:
amer
adj amère
- German:
bitter
adj
- Chinese: 激烈的 adj
- Arabic: مُرّ adj
- Portuguese: amargo adj amarga
- Russian: горький adj горькая
- Croatian: gorak adj gorka
- Czech: hořký adj
- Danish: bitter adj
- Dutch: bitter adj
- Finnish: kitkerä adj
- Greek: πικρός adj πικρή
- Italian: amaro adj amara
- Japanese: にがい adj
- Korean: 쓴 adj
- Norwegian: bitter adj bitre
- Polish: gorzki adj gorzka
- Brazilian Portuguese: amargo adj amarga
- European Spanish:
amargo
adj amarga
- Swedish: bitter adj bittert
- Thai: ขม adj
- Turkish: acı adj
- Vietnamese: đắng adj
Usage examples
I felt a cold stab of shock in my own stomach as I shared his moment of bitter disappointment.
, DEAD BEAT (2002)Every small town in France has a good charcuterie, which is a source of bitter envy to me.
Country Life (2004)Mr. Campbell's party took 77 of 79 seats, leaving his bitter rivals in the previous NDP government with just two.
Globe and Mail (2003)She was ostracised and forced to embark on a bitter battle for maternity leave and the right to return to part-time work.
Glasgow Herald (2001)They needed an army to take her, Qiaan thought with bitter pride.
, THE SECRETS OF JIN-SHEI (2004)