bitter

[ bit-er ]

/ ˈbɪt ər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR bitter ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, bit·ter·er, bit·ter·est.

having a harsh, disagreeably acrid taste, like that of aspirin, quinine, wormwood, or aloes.

producing one of the four basic taste sensations; not sour, sweet, or salt.

hard to bear; grievous; distressful: a bitter sorrow.

causing pain; piercing; stinging: a bitter chill.

characterized by intense antagonism or hostility: bitter hatred.

hard to admit or accept: a bitter lesson.

resentful or cynical: bitter words.

noun

that which is bitter; bitterness: Learn to take the bitter with the sweet.

British. a very dry ale having a strong taste of hops.

verb (used with object)

to make bitter: herbs employed to bitter vermouth.

adverb

extremely; very; exceedingly: a bitter cold night.

Origin of bitter

before 1000; Middle English, Old English biter; cognate with German bitter, Old Norse bitr, Gothic baitrs; akin to bite

SYNONYMS FOR bitter

1 acrid, biting, distasteful.

3 distressing, poignant, painful.

4 biting, nipping.

5 fierce, cruel, ruthless, relentless.

7 acrimonious, caustic, sardonic, scornful.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR bitter ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM bitter

bit·ter·ish, adjective bit·ter·ly, adverb bit·ter·ness, noun non·bit·ter, adjective

o·ver·bit·ter, adjective o·ver·bit·ter·ly, adverb o·ver·bit·ter·ness, noun un·bit·ter, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bitter

bidder bitter

Words nearby bitter

bitstock, bitstream, bitsy, bitt, bitten, bitter, bitter almond, bitter almond oil, bitter apple, bitter cassava, bitter cress

Example sentences from the Web for bitterly

The one and indivisible capital of Israel has not been this bitterly divided since 1967.

Mass Murder in the Holy City |Michael Tomasky |November 18, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
ISIS and al Qaeda bitterly split earlier this year, and have since attacked one another on occasions.

Al Qaeda Plotters in Syria ‘Went Dark,’ U.S. Spies Say |Eli Lake |September 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
A bitterly partisan public discourse also developed in 18th-century England.

How the News Business Found Its Footing |Nick Romeo |June 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Officials are bitterly divided over two diametrically opposed strategies.

Inspectors Uncover UK Schools Pushing Radical Islamic Agendas |Nico Hines |June 10, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

A decision the government would come to bitterly regret over the coming decades.

Britain’s Most Notorious Islamist Once Worked at Strip Clubs and Peep Shows in London |Nico Hines |May 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The ministers were bitterly reproached for employing Germans and Indians.

The Political History of England - Vol. X. |William Hunt
Much and bitterly did she weep over her cursed existence, and earnestly prayed that she might be liberated from her tormentor.

Tales of the Wonder Club, Volume II |Alexander Huth
One bitterly cold night we were sitting around a blazing coal fire in the library.

Saxe Holm's Stories |Helen Hunt Jackson
She sent milles tendresses to her chrie, and bitterly regretted that she was not well enough to leave the carriage.

Robert Orange |John Oliver Hobbes
They were bitterly disappointed, but were they not tried and trusted Regulars?

New Zealanders at Gallipoli |Major Fred Waite

British Dictionary definitions for bitterly

bitter

/ (ˈbɪtə) /

adjective

having or denoting an unpalatable harsh taste, as the peel of an orange or coffee dregs Compare sour (def. 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

Derived forms of bitter

bitterly, adverb bitterness, noun

Word Origin for bitter

Old English biter; related to bītan to bite

Idioms and Phrases with bitterly

bitter

In addition to the idioms beginning with bitter

bitter end
bitter pill to swallow

also see:

take the bitter with the sweet

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bitter

adjective, bit·ter·er, bit·ter·est.

noun

verb (used with object)

adverb

Origin of bitter

SYNONYMS FOR bitter

OTHER WORDS FROM bitter

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bitter

Words nearby bitter

Example sentences from the Web for bitterly

British Dictionary definitions for bitterly

adjective

adverb

noun

verb

Derived forms of bitter

Word Origin for bitter

Idioms and Phrases with bitterly

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bitter

adjective, bit·ter·er, bit·ter·est.

noun

verb (used with object)

adverb

Origin of bitter

SYNONYMS FOR bitter

OTHER WORDS FROM bitter

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH bitter

Words nearby bitter

Words related to bitterly

Example sentences from the Web for bitterly

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for bitterly

adjective

adverb

noun

verb

Derived forms of bitter

Word Origin for bitter

Idioms and Phrases with bitterly

British Dictionary definitions for bitterly