Acrimonious
/ˌækrɪˈmoʊniəs/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Acrimonious means showing strong anger or bitterness, especially in words or actions. It is often used to describe arguments, discussions, or relationships that feel harsh, unfriendly, or full of tension. The word suggests more than just being upset—it means being sharply angry or resentful.
Was this helpful?
⚡ See It in Action
Describing speech or behavior that is angry and bitter
- •Their acrimonious debate lasted for hours with no agreement.
- •The acrimonious comments between the two politicians hurt their public images.
- •After the acrimonious meeting, no one wanted to work together again.
Describing relationships or situations filled with conflict and bitterness
- •The couple had an acrimonious divorce that affected their children.
- •The acrimonious rivalry between the teams made the game very tense.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "acrimonious" like "angry" (A1), but much stronger and more bitter—like angry words that hurt deeply
- ✓Picture two people shouting at each other with sharp, cutting words that leave a bad feeling
- ✓It's the feeling you have during a serious fight when people say things they regret later
- ✓Sounds like "AC-ri-moan-ious" → imagine someone moaning or complaining loudly in an angry, bitter voice
- ✓Think of a courtroom battle or a tough divorce where people say harsh things to each other
- ✓NOT like "angry" (which can be brief or mild) — acrimonious lasts longer and is full of bitterness
- ✓NOT like "friendly" or "calm" — acrimonious means the opposite, full of tension and bad feelings
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Bitter: showing strong negative feelings, often because of unfair treatment (Use when focusing on feelings of sadness mixed with anger)
- •Hostile: unfriendly and aggressive (Use when describing very unfriendly behavior or attitudes)
- •Resentful: feeling angry because of unfairness (Use when anger is because of feeling treated badly)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Prefix: "acri-" from Latin "acer" meaning sharp or bitter
- •Root: "moni-" related to "moan" or complain, indicating harshness in sound or feeling
- •Suffix: "-ous" meaning full of or having the quality of
- •Origin: From Latin "acrimonia" meaning sharpness or bitterness in speech or temper
- •First used in English in the 1600s to describe harsh, biting speech or behavior
- •Today, it is used mostly to describe angry and bitter arguments or feelings between people
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can something be acrimonious without words, just through actions or silence? How would that feel?
•How does recognizing acrimonious behavior help in solving conflicts or calming tense situations?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The meeting became acrimonious because both sides refused to ___ or listen to each other.
2.When people speak in an acrimonious way, it often causes ___ between friends or family.
3.Unlike a calm discussion, an acrimonious argument is full of ___ and harsh words.
4.After the acrimonious divorce, the couple avoided any ___ contact.
5.She spoke acrimoniously ___ the unfair decision made by her boss.
6.Acrimonious feelings usually ___ from long-lasting anger or disappointment.
7.The acrimonious debate ended with both parties feeling ___ rather than understood.