bitter

UK: /ˈbɪtə^r/ US: /ˈbɪtɚ/ ,(bit′ər)

Inflections of 'bitter' (adj):

bitterer

adj comparative

bitterest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bit•ter /ˈbɪtɚ/   adj. 

1. having a harsh taste;
   not sour, sweet, or salty:
   bitter herbs.
2. [before a noun] hard to bear:
   a bitter sorrow.
3. [before a noun] causing pain:
   a bitter chill.
4. characterized by hostility:
   bitter enemies.
5. [before a noun] experienced at great cost:
   a bitter lesson.

n. [uncountable]

6. Wine Brit. an ale that tastes bitter because it is made with hops:
   two pints of your best bitter.

bit•ter•ly, adv.: 

a bitterly cold night.

bit•ter•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bit•ter  (bit′ər), adj., -er, -est, n., v., adv. 
adj. 

1. having a harsh, disagreeably acrid taste, like that of aspirin, quinine, wormwood, or aloes.
2. Physiology producing one of the four basic taste sensations;
   not sour, sweet, or salt.
3. hard to bear;
   grievous;
   distressful:
   a bitter sorrow.
4. causing pain;
   piercing;
   stinging:
   a bitter chill.
5. characterized by intense antagonism or hostility:
   bitter hatred.
6. hard to admit or accept:
   a bitter lesson.
7. resentful or cynical:
   bitter words.

n. 

8. that which is bitter;
   bitterness:
   Learn to take the bitter with the sweet.
9. [Brit.] a very dry ale having a strong taste of hops.

v.t. 

10. to make bitter:
    herbs employed to bitter vermouth.

adv. 

11. extremely;
    very;
    exceedingly:
    a bitter cold night.

• bef. 1000; Middle English, Old English biter; cognate with German bitter, Old Norse bitr, Gothic baitrs; akin to bite

bit′ter•ish, adj. 
bit′ter•ly, adv. 
bit′ter•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. acrid, biting, distasteful.
• 3. distressing, poignant, painful.
• 4. biting, nipping.
• 5. fierce, cruel, ruthless, relentless.
• 7. acrimonious, caustic, sardonic, scornful.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bitter / ˈbɪtə/ adjective

1. having or denoting an unpalatable harsh taste, as the peel of an orange or coffee dregs
   Compare sour1
2. showing or caused by strong unrelenting hostility or resentment
3. difficult or unpleasant to accept or admit: a bitter blow
4. cutting; sarcastic: bitter words
5. bitingly cold: a bitter night

adverb

1. very; extremely (esp in the phrase bitter cold)

noun

1. a thing that is bitter
2. beer with a high hop content, with a slightly bitter taste

Etymology: Old English biter; related to bītan to bite

ˈbitterly adverb

ˈbitterness noun