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
- overbitterness noun
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.
The brown butter lends a nutty undertone and caramel depth, a quiet bitterness that keeps the sweetness in check.
From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026
The rest of the band joins in as Ayewa calls for the listener to look up to a world above war, bitterness, and division.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
We know how this game ends: in bitterness and resentment.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026
She described forgiveness not as saying it was OK, but as releasing the "bitterness so it no longer dominates how you feel".
From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026
The chocolate was amazingly smooth with no bitterness, and the caramel had a touch of maple flavor.
From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence
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.
