bitterness
Americannoun
-
a harsh, acrid taste that is one of the four basic taste sensations; a taste that is not sour, sweet, or salty.
The beer’s initial flavor profile is a faint bitterness, with a lingering, slightly cloying sweetness.
-
a feeling of pain or distress.
The bitter herbs at a Passover Seder are meant to remind us of the bitterness of slavery.
-
a feeling of antagonism, hostility, or resentfulness.
There was no shortage of people expressing frustration and bitterness about the slow pace of the relief efforts.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of bitterness
Vocabulary lists containing bitterness
"America"
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -ness
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Repeatedly, Marina is told she looks just like her mom, but the comment occasionally contains a trace of bitterness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
The bitterness lingers all these years later: “The less competent or the less knowledgeable or intelligent members of the Senate were the ones that sunk him,” says Mr. Meese, who seldom speaks ill of anyone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
Luke’s piece tells the story of Mike Love, 85, the last remaining member of one of the 20th century’s consummate pop acts, while also reflecting on nostalgia, bitterness, legacy, and mortality.
From Slate ● Jun. 23, 2026
But even before the tournament begins, he cannot hide his bitterness.
From Barron's ● Jun. 7, 2026
“Good Heaven! what is to become of us? What are we to do?” would they often exclaim in the bitterness of woe.
From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.