Acrimony
noun /ˈækrɪməni/ — Bitterness or ill feeling in manner or speech.
Definition
Anger or bitterness, especially as expressed in speech or behaviour — a sharpness of manner that reveals deep resentment.
Beyond the definition
Acrimony is bitterness that has turned visible. It's the quality of a relationship that has curdled — where every exchange carries an edge, and the words chosen are designed to sting.
Origin & history
From Latin acrimonia (sharpness, pungency), from acer (sharp, keen). The same root gives us acrid — both carry the sense of something sharply unpleasant.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The negotiations ended in acrimony, with both sides refusing to speak to the press.
Years of acrimony between the siblings made family dinners impossible.
He was surprised by the acrimony in her reply — they had parted so gently.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Acrimony” when the meaning fits your context: Anger or bitterness, especially as expressed in speech or behaviour — a sharpness of manner that reveals deep resentment.
Synonyms
bitterness, rancour, animosity, hostility, ill will
Antonyms
warmth, goodwill, cordiality, amity
Related words
- rancour
- animosity
- vitriol
- animus
Acrimony vs bitterness
Bitterness is a private internal state — a wound that hasn't healed. Acrimony is that bitterness made visible in speech and behaviour: it's bitterness with an edge sharp enough to cut someone. You can carry bitterness silently for years; acrimony tends to manifest in how you speak, what you say, and the sharpness with which you say it.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Bitterness in Disagreement
Two adults have a heated disagreement with sharp, angry gestures.
The sharp gestures and the distance between the two figures reveal deep, underlying resentment. This acrimony is the visible manifestation of bitterness, where the manner of the interaction conveys more than the words themselves could.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Acrimony" mean?
Acrimony is noun meaning: Bitterness or ill feeling in manner or speech.. Anger or bitterness, especially as expressed in speech or behaviour — a sharpness of manner that reveals deep resentment.
Where does the word "Acrimony" come from?
From Latin acrimonia (sharpness, pungency), from acer (sharp, keen). The same root gives us acrid — both carry the sense of something sharply unpleasant.