Definition of ACRIMONIOUS (original) (raw)

: angry and bitter : caustic, biting, or rancorous especially in feeling, language, or manner

Synonyms

Examples of acrimonious in a Sentence

Each man came out of their acrimonious 200-meter showdown on July 23 with an injured hamstring and a decidedly negative vibe. —Tim Layden, Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept. 2000 My May 19, 1967, memorandum to the president unleashed a storm of controversy. … It led to tense and acrimonious Senate hearings that pitted me against the Joint Chiefs of Staff and generated rumors they intended to resign en masse. —Robert McNamara, In Retrospect, 1995 But considering the momentousness of the issue, the original Darwinian debate was far less acrimonious than might have been expected … —Gertrude Himmelfarb, American Scholar, Autumn 1981 We could tell, however, when debate became more acrimonious than professional, but this was from watching lawyers other than our father. —Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960

He went through an acrimonious divorce. an acrimonious parting between the two former friends

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

With the election a week away, the fallout over the remark has created an odd bookend to the acrimonious race between Jurado, a first-time candidate, and Councilmember Kevin de León, who represents part of L.A.’s Eastside. —David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024 While the exes were amicable at first, their co-parenting relationship grew acrimonious, Aletta said in the premiere episode of Scamanda. —Jessica Sager, People.com, 17 Oct. 2024 Use up gobs of time on acrimonious debates about whether others are using their guides properly. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024 The lawsuit was the latest twist in the acrimonious relationship between Trump and Cohen, who was a key witness in the hush money case that saw Trump convicted on 34 felony counts. —Ivana Saric, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for acrimonious

Word History

Etymology

acrimony + -ous

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of acrimonious was in 1651

Dictionary Entries Near acrimonious

Cite this Entry

“Acrimonious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acrimonious. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on acrimonious

Last Updated: 12 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Merriam-Webster unabridged