easy
His acerbic comment hurt his friend's feelings.
What does Acerbic mean?
Acerbic means sharp or harsh in speech.
Dictionary definition
Sharp, harsh, or biting in tone, speech, or attitude.
Example sentences
Acerbic in a sentence
medium
The review was funny but acerbic.
hard
The character's acerbic wit made the dialogue sharp but uncomfortable.
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice acerbic in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Quick practice
⬡ Earn 5 Honey
Practice the meaning of Acerbic
Answer one quick question about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 1
Practice 1
What does acerbic mean?
Acerbic describes a sharp, harsh, or biting way of speaking or writing.
Practice complete
Nice work!
You completed 1 questions.
Pronunciation coach
⬡ Earn 5 Honey
Acerbic
Voice settings
Sounds like
uh · sur · bik · strongest beat: sur
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordAcerbic.
Partadjective.
MeaningAcerbic means sharp or harsh in speech.
ExampleExample: His acerbic comment hurt his friend's feelings.
Word breakdown
3 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- uh · sur · bik
- Strongest beat
- sur
- Ending
- bik
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on sur.
Your turn
Say Acerbic
Record a short attempt, then compare it with the Coach. Your recording stays on this device and is not uploaded.
Coach
My attempt
Ready when you are.
Nice work—you practiced acerbic.
Synonyms
Words like Acerbic
sharpUse when words feel cutting or harsh.
bitingUse when speech is strongly critical or sarcastic.
Antonyms
Opposite words
Synonym practice
Want to practice acerbic synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The acerbic comment sounded harsh to the group," then compare close word choices. Practice acerbic synonyms.
Word family
Acerbic word family
Base word
acerbic
adverb
acerbically
In a sharp or harsh way.
Related words
Explore related words
Learning activities
Practice Acerbic and explore more word games
Cards labelled “Practice ACERBIC” keep this word in focus. Explore cards open games with other words.
Practice ACERBIC
Sentence Builder
Write your own sentence with this word and revise with checklist feedback.
Write a sentence with ACERBIC
Explore · Spelling
Spell Hive
Hear the word, type the spelling, and use spoken clues when needed.
Practice spelling
Explore · Definitions
Define the Word Hive
Choose the meaning that fits and get instant feedback.
Practice definitions
Explore · Matching
Vocabulary Match
Pair words with meanings and review misses with dictionary links.
Match meanings
Explore · Context
Context Clue Challenge
Use sentence clues to choose the word that fits the meaning.
Use context clues
Practice ACERBIC
Synonym Search
Compare meanings in a question that includes ACERBIC.
Practice ACERBIC
Explore · Scramble
Scrambled Bees
Rebuild words from mixed-up letters for spelling practice.
Rebuild words