asperity

noun

as·per·i·ty ə-ˈsper-ə-tē How to pronounce asperity (audio)

a-,

-ˈspe-rə-

plural asperities

: roughness of manner or of temper : harshness of behavior or speech that expresses bitterness or anger

He asked with some asperity just what they were implying.

: rigor, severity

… whether hearing herself described as a 'lovely woman' softened the asperity of her grief …

Charles Dickens

: roughness of surface : unevenness

also : a tiny projection from a surface

the asperities of the tongue

: roughness of sound

Did you know?

The etymology of asperity is "rough." It is adapted from Middle English asprete, which was borrowed from the Anglo-French aspreté, and ultimately derives from the Latin word asper, which means "rough." Not only is asper the source of asperity, but it also underlies the English word exasperate (in fact, you can see asper nestled in the midst of that word). Although it is far less common than asperity and exasperate, the word asper itself is still occasionally used in English—it functions as a synonym of harsh, bitter, and stern.

asperity

noun

as in bitterness

a harsh or sharp quality doesn't like the asperity of most experimental music

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

bitterness
edge
roughness
acerbity
bite
harshness
acuteness
severity
acidity
acridity
acrimony
poignance
poignancy
sharpness
pungency
spice
acridness
tartness
severeness
keenness
acidness
acrimoniousness
shrillness
virulence
tang
punch
pointedness
maliciousness
ginger
raucousness
vitriol
thorniness
cattiness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

softness
mildness
gentleness
kindliness

as in severity

biting sharpness of feeling or expression she responded with such asperity that we knew she was deeply offended by the question

Synonyms & Similar Words

severity
bitterness
hostility
corrosiveness
virulence
malice
anger
acidity
acridity
acrimony
harshness
sternness
virulency
coldness
bile
vitriol
gruffness
acridness
iciness
crossness
tartness
resentment
vehemence
impoliteness
venom
rudeness
surliness
spite
mordancy
cattiness
acidness
vindictiveness
incivility
animosity
ungraciousness
malevolence
sourness
scorn
jealousy
relentlessness
rancor
gall
spleen
nastiness
pique
jaundice
discourteousness
sour grapes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

geniality
politeness
diplomacy
civility
sweetness
tenderness
softness
graciousness
sympathy
kindness
warmth
courtesy
cordiality
smoothness
tactfulness
compassion
suavity
urbanity
unctuousness
oiliness
suaveness

as in hardship

something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal as a physically challenged person, he has encountered more than his share of asperities on the road to success

Synonyms & Similar Words

hardship
difficulty
hardness
obstacle
rigor
adversity
discomfort
inconvenience
interference
trial
hurdle
misfortune
nuisance
embarrassment
impediment
inhibition
obstruction
tribulation
tragedy
mishap
hindrance
rub
let
affliction
encumbrance
trammel
handicap
knock
snag
crimp
clog
chain
hitch
deterrent
manacle
shackle
fetter
stop
catch
hump
block
bar
pons asinorum
check

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

advantage
opportunity
break

单词	asperity
释义	asperity noun as·per·i·ty ə-ˈsper-ə-tē a-, -ˈspe-rə- plural asperities 1 : roughness of manner or of temper : harshness of behavior or speech that expresses bitterness or anger He asked with some asperity just what they were implying. 2 : rigor, severity … whether hearing herself described as a 'lovely woman' softened the asperity of her grief … Charles Dickens 3 a : roughness of surface : unevenness also : a tiny projection from a surface the asperities of the tongue b : roughness of sound Did you know? The etymology of asperity is "rough." It is adapted from Middle English asprete, which was borrowed from the Anglo-French aspreté, and ultimately derives from the Latin word asper, which means "rough." Not only is asper the source of asperity, but it also underlies the English word exasperate (in fact, you can see asper nestled in the midst of that word). Although it is far less common than asperity and exasperate, the word asper itself is still occasionally used in English—it functions as a synonym of harsh, bitter, and stern. Synonyms acerbity acidity acidness acridity acridness acrimoniousness acrimony acuteness bite bitterness edge harshness keenness poignance poignancy pungency roughness sharpness tartness See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Recent Examples on the Web By the time Keane wrote Devoted Ladies, a note of asperity had crept into her fiction. Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 22 Nov. 2018 Imagine Don Draper’s grasp of American psychopathology delivered with the pithy asperity of Emily Dickinson. Megan O’grady, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2020 Word History Etymology Middle English asprete, from Anglo-French aspreté, from aspre rough, from Latin asper, from Old Latin absperos, from ab-* ab- + -speros; akin to Sanskrit apasphura repelling, Latin spernere to spurn — more at spurn entry 1 First Known Use 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2 asperity noun 1 as in bitterness a harsh or sharp quality doesn't like the asperity of most experimental music Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance bitterness edge roughness acerbity bite harshness acuteness severity acidity acridity acrimony poignance poignancy sharpness pungency spice acridness tartness severeness keenness acidness acrimoniousness shrillness virulence tang punch pointedness maliciousness ginger raucousness vitriol thorniness cattiness Antonyms & Near Antonyms softness mildness gentleness kindliness 2 as in severity biting sharpness of feeling or expression she responded with such asperity that we knew she was deeply offended by the question Synonyms & Similar Words severity bitterness hostility corrosiveness virulence malice anger acidity acridity acrimony harshness sternness virulency coldness bile vitriol gruffness acridness iciness crossness tartness resentment vehemence impoliteness venom rudeness surliness spite mordancy cattiness acidness vindictiveness incivility animosity ungraciousness malevolence sourness scorn jealousy relentlessness rancor gall spleen nastiness pique jaundice discourteousness sour grapes Antonyms & Near Antonyms geniality politeness diplomacy civility sweetness tenderness softness graciousness sympathy kindness warmth courtesy cordiality smoothness tactfulness compassion suavity urbanity unctuousness oiliness suaveness See More 3 as in hardship something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal as a physically challenged person, he has encountered more than his share of asperities on the road to success Synonyms & Similar Words hardship difficulty hardness obstacle rigor adversity discomfort inconvenience interference trial hurdle misfortune nuisance embarrassment impediment inhibition obstruction tribulation tragedy mishap hindrance rub let affliction encumbrance trammel handicap knock snag crimp clog chain hitch deterrent manacle shackle fetter stop catch hump block bar pons asinorum check Antonyms & Near Antonyms advantage opportunity break
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asperity

noun

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Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

noun