acidulous
adjective
acid·u·lous ə-ˈsi-jə-ləs 
: somewhat acid or harsh in taste or manner
Synonyms
- acid
- acidic
- sour
- sourish
- tart
- tartish
- vinegary
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a slightly acidulous drink that is far more refreshing than the overly sweet iced tea that is also available a gently acidulous writing style that never becomes annoying
Recent Examples on the Web Ray collaborated with the cinematographer Harry Stradling to create a screeching, acidulous palette of yellows, reds, and greens that stand out all the more against Ray’s calculated array of black-and-white outfits. 
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2022 His tangy, off-kilter visual compositions, rendered in an acidulous, sun-washed Kodachrome palette, convey a sense of spontaneous wonder and enthusiasm and lend daily conversations and activities a distinctive cinematic identity. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 June 2022 Here, Mankiewicz, working for the first time in color—in a palette on the edge of the alluring and the acidulous—relies on a determinedly moving camera to convey the passage of time and evoke the drama’s elegiac mode. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 July 2021 Sharp observations like these show us glimpses of the acidulous social satirist of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Washington Post, 28 Apr. 2021 Sourced from Provence, the purple plant is balanced out by acidulous Italian bergamot and spicy-sweet tonka bean. Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 6 June 2019
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2022 His tangy, off-kilter visual compositions, rendered in an acidulous, sun-washed Kodachrome palette, convey a sense of spontaneous wonder and enthusiasm and lend daily conversations and activities a distinctive cinematic identity. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 June 2022 Here, Mankiewicz, working for the first time in color—in a palette on the edge of the alluring and the acidulous—relies on a determinedly moving camera to convey the passage of time and evoke the drama’s elegiac mode. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 July 2021 Sharp observations like these show us glimpses of the acidulous social satirist of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Washington Post, 28 Apr. 2021 Sourced from Provence, the purple plant is balanced out by acidulous Italian bergamot and spicy-sweet tonka bean. Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 6 June 2019 Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin acidulus "slightly sour," from acidus "sour" + -ulus, attenuating suffix — more at acid entry 2
First Known Use
1674, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
acidulous
adjective
acid·u·lous ə-ˈsij-ə-ləs
: somewhat acid to the taste
acidulous
adjective
1
as in acidic
causing or characterized by the one of the four basic taste sensations that is produced chiefly by acids a slightly acidulous drink that is far more refreshing than the overly sweet iced tea that is also available Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- acidic
- acid
- sour
- vinegary
- tart
- sourish
- soured
- dry
- tangy
- zesty
- zestful
- pungent
- astringent
- unsweetened
- zingy
- tartish
- puckery
- sharp
- hyperacid
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sweet
- smooth
- bland
- tasteless
- insipid
- watery
- thin
- flat
- flavorless
- dilute
- weak
- zestless
- savorless
2
as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings a gently acidulous writing style that never becomes annoying Synonyms & Similar Words
- sarcastic
- satiric
- acidic
- acid
- satirical
- acerbic
- barbed
- caustic
- corrosive
- acrid
- sardonic
- mordant
- pungent
- acerb
- biting
- tart
- scalding
- scathing
- snarky
- sharp
- cynical
- cutting
- sour
- ironic
- smart-alecky
- incisive
- smart-aleck
- trenchant
- harsh
- smart-mouthed
- ironical
- dry
- blunt
- spiky
- brisk
- wry
- vitriolic
- bitter
- concise
- acrimonious
- poignant
- sourish
- cross
- facetious
- flippant
- sharp-tongued
- severe
- gruff
- abrupt
- pithy
- brusque
- terse
- curt
- resentful
- spikey
- stringent
- crisp
- backhanded
- tartish
- keen
- succinct
- snippy
- tongue-in-cheek
- insincere
- brusk
- rough
- snippety
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- mild
- playful
- droll
- merry
- amusing
- waggish
- gentle
- sportive
- bland
- diplomatic
- smooth
- suave
- urbane
- genial
- cordial
- affable
- good-natured
- polite
- good-humored
- hospitable
- gracious
- sociable