bitter
1 of 4adjective
bit·ter ˈbi-tər 
1
a
: being, inducing, or marked by the one of the five basic taste sensations that is peculiarly acrid, astringent, and often disagreeable and characteristic of citrus peels, unsweetened cocoa, black coffee, mature leafy greens (such as kale or mustard), or ale
The pill left a bitter taste in my mouth.
bitter beer
bitter chocolates
compare salty entry 1 sense 1b, sour entry 1 sense 1, sweet entry 1, umami entry 2 sense 1 b
: distasteful or distressing to the mind : galling
a bitter sense of shame
2
: marked by intensity or severity:
a
: accompanied by severe pain or suffering
a bitter death
b
: being relentlessly determined : vehement
a bitter partisan
c
: exhibiting intense animosity
bitter enemies
d(1)
: harshly reproachful
bitter complaints
(2)
: marked by cynicism and rancor
bitter contempt
was still bitter about not being chosen
e
: intensely unpleasant especially in coldness or rawness
a bitter wind
3
: caused by or expressive of severe pain, grief, or regret
bitter tears
bitterish
ˈbi-tə-rish
adjective bitterly adverb
bitterness noun
bitter
2 of 4noun
1
a
: bitter quality
… stepping outside your comfort zone and taking the bitter with the sweet.
James Poniewoziks
James Poniewoziks b
: the taste sensation that is peculiarly acrid, astringent, and often disagreeable and is characteristic of citrus peels, unsweetened cocoa, black coffee, mature leafy greens (such as kale or mustard), or ale compare salty entry 2, sour entry 2 sense 1b, sweet entry 3 sense 2, umami entry 1
2
a
bitters ˈbi-tərz plural : a usually alcoholic solution of bitter and often aromatic plant products used especially in preparing mixed drinks or as a mild tonic (see tonic entry 1 sense 1b)
plural : a usually alcoholic solution of bitter and often aromatic plant products used especially in preparing mixed drinks or as a mild tonic (see tonic entry 1 sense 1b) b
British : a very dry (see dry entry 1 sense 7b) heavily hopped ale
bitter
3 of 4verb
bittered; bittering; bitters
transitive verb
: to make bitter (see bitter entry 1)
bittered ale
bitter
4 of 4adverb
: to an intense or severe degree : to a bitter (see bitter entry 1) degree
It's bitter cold.
Synonyms
Adjective
- acrid
- acrimonious
- embittered
- hard
- rancorous
- resentful
- sore
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective Cocoa beans have a bitter flavor. The medicine had a bitter aftertaste. We were struck by the bitter irony of the situation. His betrayal had made her bitter. She was still bitter toward her ex-husband. He's the bitterest man I know. Noun The cocktail recipe called for a dash of bitters. a good selection of bitters See More
Recent Examples on the Web Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 The group has said that any killings or disappearances are rooted in local conflicts and score-settling after two decades of bitter conflict. Jessica Donati, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Taste for acidity, adjusting with more lemon juice if your radicchio is especially bitter. San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Aug. 2022 Some of these past events are still bitter, including the Soviet-era mass deportation of a major ethnic group in the peninsula, the Muslim Crimean Tatars, to Central Asia. Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2022 The chocolate that the Mesoamericans ate was dark, grainy and tended to be somewhat bitter. Jeffrey Miller, oregonlive, 9 Aug. 2022 The voter fraud charges were especially bitter for Rivers. Bianca Fortis, ProPublica, 21 July 2022 Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine's Kremlin-friendly leader was driven from office by a popular uprising. Compiled Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2022 Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly leader was driven from office by a popular uprising. chicagotribune.com, 14 Feb. 2022 Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 17 June 2022 The price is also a reflection of the medicinal value some people attribute to the bitter-tasting honey. María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2022 In contrast, landing on cards with odd numbers resulted in a bitter-tasting quinine. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 5 May 2022 The tonic became a popular bitter in the Caribbean and Europe soon after Linnaeus named the plant, and the bark of the plant became a major Suriname export. Uwagbale Edward-ekpu, Quartz, 25 Jan. 2022 As far back as the 18th century, apothecaries were known to sweeten their bitter-tasting herbal remedies with sugar and prescribe sugar candy to treat ailments. Anna Haines, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021 It is typically sold as a bitter-tasting powder, which can be made into a tea or swallowed in capsules. Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2021 Other favorite ingredients that bring out the brashness include angelica, wormwood, cinchona bark, licorice, green cardamom, mint, and everyone’s favorite Christmas bitter, myrrh. Beth Segal, cleveland, 28 May 2021 Wexford Irish Style Cream Ale has a profile similar to an English bitter, but with less bitterness and a greater malt presence. Michael Agnew, Star Tribune, 10 Mar. 2021 Eric Velasco, al, 23 Apr. 2020 This grape is extremely approachable, with lots of fruit flavor and balanced dryness, due to the low tannins, which are the drying or bittering agent in many wines. Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 7 Nov. 2019 With all the ABVs and bittering units, barrel sizes and batch numbers, a beer bottle’s label can often read like the back of a baseball card. William Bostwick, WSJ, 8 Aug. 2018 The liqueur puts Indiana persimmons front and center while adding traditional bittering agents like rhubarb root and bitter orange peel, with cardamom and spearmint offering added complexity. Kenney Marlatt, chicagotribune.com, 30 May 2018 Another hop, typically grown in the Southern Hemisphere and used largely as a bittering agent, presented big, fruit flavors more like traditional West Coast hops. Natasha Geiling, Smithsonian, 21 May 2018 Those are made employing the still somewhat suspicious American practice of adding bittering hops to the mix, but there's nothing aggressive or even untoward about them. Mike Sula, Chicago Reader, 22 Mar. 2018 Night Shift built Nite Lite similarly, adding real corn (as opposed to corn syrup or rice syrup) and brewing with a touch of Saaz hops, the classic bittering agent in a Czech pilsner. Gary Dzen, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Mar. 2018 Two grants for a total of $135,154 went to Pennsylvania State University for projects involving hops, which are the bittering agent in beer. Harold Brubaker, Philly.com, 1 Mar. 2018 Kathleen Foody, BostonGlobe.com, 8 July 2022 Shake out every last drop from your previous pot to keep the next round from turning bitter. Max Falkowitz, Bon Appétit, 5 May 2022 Two-thirds of 137 participants in the Phase 2 trial received AMX0035, a bitter-tasting powder mixed with water to be drunk or ingested through a feeding tube twice daily. New York Times, 30 Mar. 2022 The ingredients for — and method of making — the crisp, bright and bitter-leaning drink lie directly in its name. Rebekah Peppler, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2022 Wormwood is a European plant that yields a bitter-tasting oil but contains neither worm nor wood. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 June 2021 The benefit to squeezers is more control over the juicing process, so your end result should be pure, delicious juice with no bitter-tasting peel oil. Laura Duerr, chicagotribune.com, 13 Mar. 2021 Tonic is in another category altogether and best left for your G&Ts; the bitter-tasting quinine is usually balanced by a fair amount of sugar, and the more pronounced flavor can alter your cocktail’s taste. Adrienne Donica, Popular Mechanics, 11 July 2020 Once the weather starts getting hot, your celery will start producing seeds and turn bitter, much the way that lettuce bolts in the heat. Jeanette Marantosstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2020 See More
Adjective
Some people are bitter that borrowers are getting their loans forgiven. Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 The group has said that any killings or disappearances are rooted in local conflicts and score-settling after two decades of bitter conflict. Jessica Donati, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 Taste for acidity, adjusting with more lemon juice if your radicchio is especially bitter. San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Aug. 2022 Some of these past events are still bitter, including the Soviet-era mass deportation of a major ethnic group in the peninsula, the Muslim Crimean Tatars, to Central Asia. Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2022 The chocolate that the Mesoamericans ate was dark, grainy and tended to be somewhat bitter. Jeffrey Miller, oregonlive, 9 Aug. 2022 The voter fraud charges were especially bitter for Rivers. Bianca Fortis, ProPublica, 21 July 2022 Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine's Kremlin-friendly leader was driven from office by a popular uprising. Compiled Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2022 Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly leader was driven from office by a popular uprising. chicagotribune.com, 14 Feb. 2022 Noun
Stir the vermouth mix and vodka over ice and strain into a martini glass coated with the bitter of choice. Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 17 June 2022 The price is also a reflection of the medicinal value some people attribute to the bitter-tasting honey. María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2022 In contrast, landing on cards with odd numbers resulted in a bitter-tasting quinine. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 5 May 2022 The tonic became a popular bitter in the Caribbean and Europe soon after Linnaeus named the plant, and the bark of the plant became a major Suriname export. Uwagbale Edward-ekpu, Quartz, 25 Jan. 2022 As far back as the 18th century, apothecaries were known to sweeten their bitter-tasting herbal remedies with sugar and prescribe sugar candy to treat ailments. Anna Haines, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2021 It is typically sold as a bitter-tasting powder, which can be made into a tea or swallowed in capsules. Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2021 Other favorite ingredients that bring out the brashness include angelica, wormwood, cinchona bark, licorice, green cardamom, mint, and everyone’s favorite Christmas bitter, myrrh. Beth Segal, cleveland, 28 May 2021 Wexford Irish Style Cream Ale has a profile similar to an English bitter, but with less bitterness and a greater malt presence. Michael Agnew, Star Tribune, 10 Mar. 2021 Verb
Most Beach Club beers, like Mango Colada with coconut and lime, have minimal amounts of bittering hops. Eric Velasco, al, 23 Apr. 2020 This grape is extremely approachable, with lots of fruit flavor and balanced dryness, due to the low tannins, which are the drying or bittering agent in many wines. Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 7 Nov. 2019 With all the ABVs and bittering units, barrel sizes and batch numbers, a beer bottle’s label can often read like the back of a baseball card. William Bostwick, WSJ, 8 Aug. 2018 The liqueur puts Indiana persimmons front and center while adding traditional bittering agents like rhubarb root and bitter orange peel, with cardamom and spearmint offering added complexity. Kenney Marlatt, chicagotribune.com, 30 May 2018 Another hop, typically grown in the Southern Hemisphere and used largely as a bittering agent, presented big, fruit flavors more like traditional West Coast hops. Natasha Geiling, Smithsonian, 21 May 2018 Those are made employing the still somewhat suspicious American practice of adding bittering hops to the mix, but there's nothing aggressive or even untoward about them. Mike Sula, Chicago Reader, 22 Mar. 2018 Night Shift built Nite Lite similarly, adding real corn (as opposed to corn syrup or rice syrup) and brewing with a touch of Saaz hops, the classic bittering agent in a Czech pilsner. Gary Dzen, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Mar. 2018 Two grants for a total of $135,154 went to Pennsylvania State University for projects involving hops, which are the bittering agent in beer. Harold Brubaker, Philly.com, 1 Mar. 2018 Adverb
Do not let this sadness, this fear, rage turn you bitter towards our world. Kathleen Foody, BostonGlobe.com, 8 July 2022 Shake out every last drop from your previous pot to keep the next round from turning bitter. Max Falkowitz, Bon Appétit, 5 May 2022 Two-thirds of 137 participants in the Phase 2 trial received AMX0035, a bitter-tasting powder mixed with water to be drunk or ingested through a feeding tube twice daily. New York Times, 30 Mar. 2022 The ingredients for — and method of making — the crisp, bright and bitter-leaning drink lie directly in its name. Rebekah Peppler, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2022 Wormwood is a European plant that yields a bitter-tasting oil but contains neither worm nor wood. Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 June 2021 The benefit to squeezers is more control over the juicing process, so your end result should be pure, delicious juice with no bitter-tasting peel oil. Laura Duerr, chicagotribune.com, 13 Mar. 2021 Tonic is in another category altogether and best left for your G&Ts; the bitter-tasting quinine is usually balanced by a fair amount of sugar, and the more pronounced flavor can alter your cocktail’s taste. Adrienne Donica, Popular Mechanics, 11 July 2020 Once the weather starts getting hot, your celery will start producing seeds and turn bitter, much the way that lettuce bolts in the heat. Jeanette Marantosstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English, going back to Old English biter, going back to Germanic *bitra- (whence Old Saxon & Old High German bittar "acrid-tasting," Old Norse bitr "biting, sharp") and *baitra- (whence Gothic baitrs "sharp-tasting"), derivatives from the base of *bītan- "to bite" — more at bite entry 1
Noun
derivative of bitter entry 1
Verb
Middle English bittrin, going back to Old English biterian, derivative of biter bitter entry 1
Adverb
Middle English bitter, bittere, going back to Old English bitere, derivative of biter bitter entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb
12th century, in the meaning defined above
Adverb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing bitter
Kids Definition
bitter
adjective
bit·ter ˈbi-tər
bitterer; bitterest
1
: sharp, biting, and unpleasant to the taste
2
: unhappy and angry because of unfair treatment
She was bitter toward her spoiled sister.
3
: hard to put up with
a bitter disappointment
4
: caused by anger, distress, or sorrow
bitter tears
5
: very harsh or sharp : biting
a bitter wind
Medical Definition
bitter
adjective
bit·ter ˈbit-ər
: being or inducing the one of the four basic taste sensations that is peculiarly acrid, astringent, or disagreeable and suggestive of an infusion of hops compare salt entry 2 sense 2, sour entry 1, sweet entry 1
bitter
adjective
1
as in angry
having or showing deep-seated resentment a bitter attitude about always having to work on Saturday she's still bitter about how her family treated her so unfairly Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- angry
- cynical
- embittered
- sore
- acrimonious
- resentful
- acrid
- rancorous
- sarcastic
- mad
- harsh
- irritated
- hard
- disgruntled
- vicious
- discontented
- cruel
- scornful
- virulent
- misanthropic
- vitriolic
- disaffected
- caustic
- contemptuous
- disdainful
- malcontent
- vehement
- savage
- rough
- acid
- trenchant
- mordant
- cutting
- knock-down-and-drag-out
- knock-down, drag-out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sweet
- sympathetic
- warm
- loving
- gentle
- kind
- unbitter
- forgiving
- tender
- caring
- kindhearted
- warmhearted
2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally discovering that he had been cut from the crew team was a bitter disappointment Synonyms & Similar Words
- painful
- harsh
- cruel
- horrible
- hurtful
- terrible
- torturous
- agonizing
- severe
- awful
- harrowing
- grievous
- excruciating
- unbearable
- unacceptable
- miserable
- galling
- dreadful
- bad
- tormenting
- vile
- nasty
- intense
- intolerable
- insufferable
- afflicting
- heartrending
- rotten
- acute
- appalling
- ghastly
- extreme
- wretched
- dire
- unendurable
- insupportable
- unsupportable
- piercing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sweet
- gratifying
- pleasing
- tolerable
- bearable
- endurable
- sustainable
- supportable
- acceptable
- survivable
- reasonable
- livable
- allowable
- sufferable
- liveable
3
as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin a bitter wind was stinging the faces of the skiers Synonyms & Similar Words
- biting
- sharp
- stinging
- smarting
- brisk
- keen
- piercing
- shrewd
- raw
- penetrating
- cutting
- caustic
- invigorating
- corrosive
- prickly
- snappy
- tingling
- nippy
- needlelike
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- mild
- gentle
- soothing
- balmy
4
as in harsh
difficult to endure a bitter lesson about money and friendship Synonyms & Similar Words
- harsh
- tough
- searing
- oppressive
- brutal
- severe
- rough
- hard
- cruel
- grim
- trying
- painful
- bleak
- murderous
- heavy
- burdensome
- grievous
- inhuman
- onerous
- excruciating
- unpleasant
- rugged
- stiff
- uncomfortable
- unbearable
- inhospitable
- bad
- intemperate
- hardhanded
- biting
- discomforting
- overwhelming
- forbidding
- austere
- crushing
- hostile
- agonizing
- disagreeable
- comfortless
- insufferable
- spartan
- strict
- grinding
- rigorous
- wretched
- wild
- inclement
- heartbreaking
- intolerable
- stringent
- tortuous
- unfriendly
- unendurable
- harrowing
- insupportable
- heartrending
- wearing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- light
- soft
- easy
- pleasant
- agreeable
- friendly
- comfortable
- luxurious
- mild
- hospitable
- cozy
- genial
- peaceful
- moderate
- gentle
- tolerable
- restful
- bearable
- calm
- relaxing
- temperate
- snug
- balmy
- painless
- endurable
- reposeful
- clement
5
as in cold
having a low or subnormal temperature a bitter February day for this part of the country Synonyms & Similar Words
- cold
- icy
- frigid
- chilly
- freezing
- chill
- cool
- frosty
- polar
- arctic
- wintry
- numbing
- shivery
- glacial
- brisk
- chilled
- nippy
- cooled
- coldish
- snappy
- gelid
- ice-cold
- coolish
- bone-chilling
- wintery
- nipping
- crisp
- algid
- cryogenic
- sharp
- invigorating
- piercing
- penetrating
- subzero
- bracing
- frozen
- subfreezing
- cutting
- iced
- keen
- frosted
- ultracold
- rigorous
- unheated
- refrigerated
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- fiery
- seething
- hot
- fervent
- ardent
- boiling
- lukewarm
- torrid
- fervid
- tepid
- searing
- sultry
- warming
- scorching
- molten
- burning
- sweltering
- scalding
- heated
- glowing
- igneous
- broiling
- roasting
- sizzling
- warm
- blazing
- warmed
- feverish
- overheated
- white-hot
- ultrahot
- inflamed
- toasty
- red-hot
- reheated
- piping hot
- tropical
- muggy
- snug
- enflamed
- flushed
- steamy
- equatorial
- summery
- canicular
6
as in chilly
uncomfortably cool a bitter, rainy day Synonyms & Similar Words
- chilly
- bleak
- chilling
- cold
- chill
- frigid
- icy
- brisk
- sharp
- raw
- freezing
- nippy
- crisp
- frosty
- nipping
- invigorating
- arctic
- bracing
- polar
- wintry
- shivery
- snappy
- glacial
- numbing
- rigorous
- frozen
- ice-cold
- coolish
- frosted
- wintery
- iced
- subzero
- unheated
- subfreezing
- frore
- refrigerated
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- warm
- lukewarm
- tepid
- balmy
- heated
- warmed
7
as in heartbroken
expressing or suggesting mourning a bitter cry of grief Synonyms & Similar Words
- heartbroken
- mournful
- weeping
- grieving
- sad
- funeral
- unhappy
- sorrowful
- melancholy
- regretful
- tearful
- anguished
- wailing
- sorry
- depressed
- aching
- rueful
- doleful
- lamentable
- dolorous
- agonized
- lugubrious
- plaintive
- dark
- somber
- crying
- bleak
- woeful
- bemoaning
- morbid
- bewailing
- plangent
- miserable
- deploring
- pathetic
- dejected
- dolesome
- funereal
- moody
- dispirited
- heartsick
- miserable
- disconsolate
- keening
- moaning
- downhearted
- gloomy
- despondent
- inconsolable
- glum
- groaning
- crestfallen
- downcast
- elegiac
- forlorn
- desolate
- downhearted
- morose
- darkening
- sullen
- downcast
- pessimistic
- howling
- woebegone
- suffering
- brokenhearted
- joyless
- heartsore
- cheerless
- black
- careworn
- wretched
- gloomy
- gray
- glum
- bleeding
- dreary
- elegiacal
- low-spirited
- bawling
- dismal
- saturnine
- piteous
- low
- yammering
- dirgelike
- comfortless
- triste
- sombre
- grey
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- triumphant
- joyful
- happy
- cheerful
- bright
- cheery
- joyous
- smiling
- jolly
- laughing
- delighted
- merry
- optimistic
- blissful
- rejoicing
- hopeful
- blithe
- exulting
- mirthful
- lighthearted
- euphoric
- buoyant
- cheering
- heady
- glorying
- blithesome
- giddy
- rapturous
- ecstatic
- encouraging
- jocund
- rhapsodic
- elated
- rhapsodical
- exhilarated
8
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses had to face the bitter truth about their marriage Synonyms & Similar Words
- unpleasant
- sour
- harsh
- nasty
- unpleasing
- bad
- ugly
- horrible
- rotten
- disgusting
- awful
- sickening
- disagreeable
- wicked
- unpalatable
- unwelcome
- shocking
- icky
- distasteful
- uncongenial
- dreadful
- yucky
- vile
- unsavory
- displeasing
- unlovely
- hateful
- hideous
- sick
- yukky
- annoying
- obnoxious
- bilious
- loathsome
- irritating
- repulsive
- revolting
- horrid
- odious
- nauseating
- hellish
- repugnant
- offensive
- ghastly
- invidious
- miserable
- appalling
- villainous
- scandalous
- foul
- nauseous
- unholy
- abominable
- obscene
- abhorrent
- gross
- gnarly
- noisome
- aggravating
- seamy
- repellent
- horrendous
- revulsive
- vexing
- galling
- beastly
- wretched
- god-awful
- crummy
- lousy
- crappy
- repellant
- sucky
- crumby
- cruddy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- pleasant
- good
- agreeable
- nice
- grateful
- satisfying
- congenial
- palatable
- welcome
- sweet
- gratifying
- delicious
- pleasurable
- delightful
- pleasing
- friendly
- charming
- amiable
- jolly
- dreamy
- delectable
- kindly
- felicitous
- cheery