acerb

Meaning

1. Sour, bitter, and harsh to the taste, such as unripe fruit.
2. Sharp and harsh in expressing oneself.

Synonyms

acerbic

bitter

caustic

acid

blistering

acrid

sulfurous

vitriolic

virulent

astringent

tart

sulphurous

mordacious

biting

cutting

keen

mordant

pointed

sharp

shrill

sour

strident

trenchant

ingenious

vinegary

lancinating

bristly

acute

morose

nipping

peaked

peaky

perceptive

perspicacious

piercing

acidic

pungent

quick-witted

ready

salty

severe

acuate

fulgurating

slick

smart

sore

lancinate

sourish

sourness

spiky

stiff

vinegarish

bright

sulky

sullen

bold

surly

beaked

sour-tasting

clear

crisp

unpalatable

discriminative

edged

fly

✈️

grumpy

harsh

incisive

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈsɜːb/

Etymology

From Latin acerbus, from Latin ācer (“sharp”): compare French acerbe. See acrid.