Synonyms of acrid

acrid

adjective

ˈa-krəd 

1

as in sore

having or showing deep-seated resentment

there have been acrid relations between the two families ever since they fought over that strip of land

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sore
• bitter
• angry
• cynical
• acrimonious
• rancorous
• embittered
• resentful
• sarcastic
• mad
• harsh
• hard
• irritated
• caustic
• vicious
• virulent
• acid
• scornful
• cruel
• disgruntled
• contemptuous
• discontented
• misanthropic
• disdainful
• vehement
• vitriolic
• disaffected
• savage
• trenchant
• mordant
• rough
• malcontent
• cutting
• knock-down, drag-out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• warm
• sweet
• sympathetic
• kind
• gentle
• loving
• unbitter
• tender
• forgiving
• caring
• warmhearted
• kindhearted

2

as in satiric

marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings

Phillipa's acrid comments about the new employee's clothes were met by laughter from everyone at the lunch table

Synonyms & Similar Words

• satiric
• sarcastic
• acidic
• acid
• barbed
• pungent
• caustic
• corrosive
• biting
• acerbic
• sardonic
• scathing
• acidulous
• mordant
• tart
• sharp
• cynical
• ironic
• acerb
• harsh
• cutting
• sour
• scalding
• snarky
• blunt
• smart-aleck
• smart-alecky
• concise
• spiky
• dry
• smart-mouthed
• trenchant
• severe
• incisive
• brisk
• poignant
• wry
• cross
• bitter
• acrimonious
• sourish
• vitriolic
• abrupt
• gruff
• flippant
• facetious
• stringent
• resentful
• keen
• brusque
• curt
• pithy
• crisp
• sharp-tongued
• terse
• succinct
• insincere
• tartish
• tongue-in-cheek
• snippy
• rough
• backhanded
• snippety

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• mild
• amusing
• playful
• merry
• gentle
• bland
• droll
• waggish
• diplomatic
• smooth
• sportive
• polite
• cordial
• urbane
• good-natured
• hospitable
• genial
• gracious
• affable
• good-humored
• suave
• sociable

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective acrid contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of acrid are caustic, mordant, and scathing. While all these words mean "stingingly incisive," acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence.

acrid invective

When would caustic be a good substitute for acrid?

While in some cases nearly identical to acrid, caustic suggests a biting wit.

caustic comments

When can mordant be used instead of acrid?

The words mordant and acrid are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.

mordant reviews of the play

In what contexts can scathing take the place of acrid?

In some situations, the words scathing and acrid are roughly equivalent. However, scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity.

a scathing satire

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of acrid

And then, on cue, Saturday thunderstorms compelled the acrid haze to stray. — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 20 July 2026

From torrid heat waves, to deadly flash floods, to raging wildfires and their associated acrid smoke — the signs are all around us, right now. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Smoke from a Boyle Heights warehouse fire shrouds Dodger Stadium in acrid haze before the Dodgers’ 12-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. — Liana Handler, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026

Fighter jets roared overhead, and air strikes pounded the surrounding hillsides, sending up thick plumes of acrid smoke. — Euan Ward, New Yorker, 29 May 2026