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Synonyms

acrimonious

American  
[ak-ruh-moh-nee-uhs] / ˌæk rəˈmoʊ ni əs /

adjective

  1. caustic, stinging, or bitter in nature, speech, behavior, etc..

    an acrimonious answer; an acrimonious dispute.


acrimonious British  
/ ˌækrɪˈməʊnɪəs /

adjective

  1. characterized by bitterness or sharpness of manner, speech, temper, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • acrimoniously adverb
  • acrimoniousness noun
  • unacrimonious adjective
  • unacrimoniously adverb
  • unacrimoniousness noun

Etymology

Origin of acrimonious

From the Medieval Latin word ācrimōniōsus, dating back to 1605–15. See acrimony, -ous

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.

Former head coach Eddie Jones says the scenes at the end of England's defeat against Ireland on Saturday reminded him of the acrimonious end of his own time in charge at Twickenham.

From BBC

The ending, which I won’t spoil here, has become a lightning rod of controversy that cannot be destroyed, no matter how much acrimonious electricity it attracts.

From Salon

It tells the story of the chart race that was the climax of an at-times acrimonious beef between Britpop's biggest beasts, which split fans and captivated the media.

From BBC

There remains widespread appreciation for Maresca's work despite his acrimonious departure over a difference in vision with the ownership.

From BBC

His departure from the company became acrimonious, with his lawyer later criticizing how he was treated by Berkshire.

From The Wall Street Journal