DictionaryAI

bitter

BIT-ur/ˈbɪ.tɚ/UKBIT-uh/ˈbɪt.ə(ɹ)/

Noun pluralbitters

10 meanings of bitter

Practice

  1. 1
    sharp tasteadjective
    Having a sharp, unpleasant taste, like black coffee or grapefruit skin.

    Like the taste of lemon peel or very strong tea.

    The medicine tasted bitter, so the child spat it out.

    Black coffee is too bitter for me without sugar.

    UsageSay it tastes bitter.

    Similaracrid, sharp

    Oppositesweet

    Note
  2. 2
    holding a grudgeadjective
    Feeling angry and hurt for a long time because of something unfair.

    Like staying angry long after an argument is over.

    She felt bitter about being left off the team.

    He became bitter after his friends forgot all about him.

    UsageSay someone is bitter about something.

    Similarresentful, cynical, sour, jaded

  3. 3
    between enemiesadjective
    Full of strong hate, like enemies who want to hurt each other.

    Like two enemies who refuse to forgive each other.

    The two teams have been bitter rivals for years.

    Their argument turned bitter and mean very quickly.

    UsageSay bitter enemies or a bitter fight.

    Similaracrimonious, fierce, hostile, rancorous

    Oppositeamicable, friendly

    Note
  4. 4
    bitingadjective
    Very harsh and sharp, like a freezing wind or cruel words.

    Like an icy wind that stings your skin.

    A bitter wind made our faces hurt as we walked home.

    His bitter words made everyone in the room go quiet.

    UsageSay bitter cold or a bitter wind.

    Similarbiting, harsh, piercing, cutting, icy

    Oppositemild, gentle

    Note
  5. 5
    herb flavoringnouncountable or uncountable
    A strong-tasting liquid or powder made from herbs, added to drinks or used as a tonic.

    A few drops of bitters make the cocktail taste much better.

    Grandma kept a bottle of herbal bitters in the kitchen for an upset stomach.

    UsageSay a dash of bitters.

    Note
  6. 6
    beernouncountable or uncountable
    A British beer with a strong, sharp flavor from a heavy dose of hops.

    Like a beer with a stronger, sharper taste.

    He drank a glass of bitter at the pub after work.

    This pub serves a really good bitter on tap.

    UsageSay a pint of bitter.

  7. 7
    hard to acceptadjective
    Making you feel very sad, hurt or let down, and hard to accept.

    Not getting the job was a bitter disappointment for him.

    It was a bitter lesson, but she learned to save her money.

    Similarpainful, crushing, heartbreaking, cruel

    Oppositesweet

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 8
    give sharp tasteverbtransitive
    To make something taste bitter.

    Like adding something sour that changes the whole taste.

    Some brewers use a lot of hops to bitter their beer.

    These hops bitter the beer without adding much smell.

    UsageBrewers bitter beer with hops.

    Oppositesweeten

    Note
  2. 9
    nouncolloquial
    A computer whose design is built around groups of a set number of bits, the smallest units of computer data.
  3. 10
    noun
    A single loop of rope wrapped around the strong posts on a ship's deck.

Practice

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Origin

From Old English "biter" meaning "bitter," related to the word "bite."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts