Acerbic
/əˈsɜːrbɪk/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Acerbic means speaking or writing in a way that is clear and strong but can sound a little bit harsh or bitter. It is often used to describe comments or opinions that are honest but may hurt feelings because they are very direct. The word is usually about tone or style, not about physical taste.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
Describing a sharp, biting tone in speech or writing
- •Her acerbic comments made the meeting uncomfortable.
- •The critic’s acerbic review hurt the author’s feelings.
- •He answered with an acerbic remark that stopped the argument.
(Less common) Having a sour or bitter taste (used in food or drink)
- •The acerbic taste of the green apples surprised me.
- •This wine has an acerbic flavor that some people dislike.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'acerbic' like 'sharp' (A1 word), but for words and tone—it cuts like a knife with honesty, not kindness
- ✓Picture a lemon’s sour taste—strong and biting—this is like the feeling when someone speaks acerbically
- ✓It's the feeling when someone says something true but in a way that stings or surprises you
- ✓Sounds like 'a-SIR-bik' → imagine a serious ('sir') person giving a quick, sharp comment that hits hard
- ✓Think of a character in a movie who uses clever but biting jokes to criticize others
- ✓NOT like 'nice' (gentle and kind), 'acerbic' is more biting and less soft
- ✓NOT like 'angry' (full of strong emotion), 'acerbic' is more about being sharply honest, not necessarily angry
- ✓NOT like 'sweet' or 'soft' speech, it has a clear, sometimes bitter edge
Try Other Words
- •Biting: very harsh or cruel in speech (Use when you want to emphasize cruelty or strong criticism)
- •Caustic: able to burn or hurt feelings with words (Use in formal or literary contexts)
- •Sarcastic: using irony to mock or convey contempt (Use when the harshness is meant to be funny or mocking)
- •Sharp: clear and direct, sometimes harsh (Use in everyday speech for less strong meaning)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: 'acer-' from Latin 'acer' meaning 'sharp' or 'bitter'
- •Root: related to taste and sharpness in Latin, originally describing sour or biting flavor
- •Suffix: '-bic' forms adjectives describing qualities or conditions
- •Origin: From Latin, entered English in the 1600s to describe bitter taste, later used for speech tone
- •Modern usage: Mostly used to describe a biting or harsh tone in speech or writing, less often for taste
Reflect & Connect
•Can being acerbic ever be helpful instead of hurtful? When might that happen?
•How do you feel when someone speaks acerbically to you? Does it depend on who they are?
Fill in the blanks
1.His acerbic comments often ___ strong feelings of discomfort in others.
2.When someone speaks acerbically, they usually ___ their true opinion without softening it.
3.Acerbic is different from angry because it is more about ___ honesty than strong emotion.
4.The critic’s acerbic review was ___, but it helped the author improve.
5.People often describe acerbic humor as ___ because it can be both funny and hurtful.
6.Acerbic remarks often ___ a conversation quickly because they can feel too harsh.
7.The acerbic taste of the lemon made me ___ my face because it was so sour.