bitter
adjective /ˈbɪtə(r)/
/ˈbɪtər/
more bitter and most bitter are the usual comparative and superlative forms, but bitterest can also be used.Idioms - Black coffee leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
Synonyms bitterbittercompare sweet- pungent
- sour
- acrid
- sharp
- acid
- bitter (of a taste or smell) strong and usually unpleasant; (of food or drink) having a bitter taste.
- pungent (of a smell or taste) strong and usually unpleasant; (of food or smoke) having a pungent smell or taste:
- the pungent smell of burning rubber
- sour (of a taste) bitter like the taste of a lemon or of fruit that is not ready to eat; (of food or drink) having a sour taste:
- Too much pulp produces a sour wine.
- acrid (of a smell or taste) strong and unpleasant; (of smoke) having an acrid smell:
- acrid smoke from burning tyres
- sharp (of a taste or smell) strong and slightly bitter; (of food or drink) having a sharp taste:
- The cheese has a distinctively sharp taste.
- acid (of a taste or smell) bitter, like the taste of a lemon or of fruit that is not ready to eat; (of food or drink) having an acid taste.
- a(n) bitter/pungent/sour/acrid/sharp/acid taste/flavour
- a(n) bitter/pungent/acrid/sharp/acid smell/odour
- a(n) bitter/sour/sharp/acid fruit
- pungent/sharp cheese
- pungent/acrid smoke
Wordfinder- bitter
- bland
- hot
- pungent
- savoury
- sour
- spicy
- sweet
- tart
- taste
Extra ExamplesTopics Cooking and eatingb2- The drink tasted bitter.
- This plant is ignored by livestock because of the bitter taste.
- bitter chocolate
- (figurative) The whole sorry affair had left a bitter taste in her mouth (= made her feel angry or unhappy).
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- taste
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- a long and bitter dispute
- They are locked in a bitter custody battle over their three children.
- The candidates are locked in an increasingly bitter struggle.
- She is very bitter about losing her job.
- The company sounds pretty bitter about the experience.
Extra ExamplesTopics Feelingsb2- I felt very bitter towards them.
- She still seems bitter about it.
- The divorce had left her bitter.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- feel
- seem
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
- about
- towards/toward
- to weep/shed bitter tears
- Losing the match was a bitter disappointment for the team.
- I've learnt from bitter experience not to trust what he says.
Extra Examples- Loving relationships can turn bitter.
- She bit her lip hard to stop the rush of bitter words.
- bitter cold
- a bitter wind
- It's really bitter out today.
- The weather turned bitter.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- become
- turn
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
Word OriginOld English biter, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German bitter, and probably to bite.
Idioms
a bitter pill (for somebody) (to swallow)
- a fact or an event that is unpleasant and difficult to accept
- The election defeat was a bitter pill for the party to swallow.
to/until the bitter end
- continuing until you have done everything you can, or until something is completely finished, despite difficulties and problems
- They were prepared to fight to the bitter end for their rights.
- We will fight this case to the bitter end.