asperity

noun

ə-ˈsper-ə-tē How to pronounce asperity (audio)
Definition of asperitynext
1
as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality doesn't like the asperity of most experimental music

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression she responded with such asperity that we knew she was deeply offended by the question

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3
as in hardship
something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal He overcame his share of asperities on the road to success.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of asperity Faults typically contain surface irregularities, known as asperities, which prevent smooth movement between tectonic plates. — Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025 What gives the movie much of its poignancy and power is Hart’s realization, and ours, that the asperity and regret showcased in his famous lyrics are no longer in fashion. — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Oct. 2025 Advertisement On a re-read, Orwell’s narrative holds up, in large part due to the asperity of the prose and the prescient description of how fascism can creep into any society that takes freedom for granted. — Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2023 Her asperity has brought upon her the full flaming rage of the Twittersphere. — Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 2 Oct. 2022 Imagine Don Draper’s grasp of American psychopathology delivered with the pithy asperity of Emily Dickinson. — Megan O’Grady, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2020 By the time Keane wrote Devoted Ladies, a note of asperity had crept into her fiction. — Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 22 Nov. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asperity
  1. bitterness
  2. severity
  3. hardship
  4. edge
  5. hostility
  6. difficulty
  7. bite
  8. virulence
Noun
  • This copper beauty serves up bold floral and citrus aromas, plus the signature IPA bitterness.
    — Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Little united the Syrian rebels during the country’s civil war from 2011 to 2024 outside of their hatred of Assad, and Damascus has sought to cultivate this memory of bitterness to keep the country’s disparate groups together.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of bitterness
Noun
  • Tyreke Smith had a good month, but the severity of his hamstring injury could make Harris’ path cleaner.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Some recalls, Eskin said, are made after companies’ routine testing catches a pathogen before anyone gets sick, while others involve outbreaks that are already underway and vary widely in size and severity.
    — Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of severity
Noun
  • Ask yourself if waiting would cause a practical problem (like not having transportation) or additional financial hardship (like high-interest credit card debt).
    — Dan Avery, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Other exemptions are offered to students who are 21 or older, have a medical condition or disability that cannot be accommodated on campus, married or are a parent, face financial hardship, or are active-duty members of the armed forces or veterans.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of hardship
Noun
  • The negative is that rookie edge Keyron Crawford is out for the year with an ankle injury.
    — Sam Warren, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • China continues to rely on Dutch manufacturer ASML for nearly all of its cutting-edge deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography machines, while some DUV systems encounter US export restrictions.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of edge
Noun
  • Funding for refugee support is drying up, hostility toward Ukrainians is growing, and Poland still lacks a long-term integration strategy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Iran accepted meaningful limits on its nuclear program in 2015, for instance, and reversed decades of hostility toward Saudi Arabia by normalizing ties in 2023.
    — Nate Swanson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of hostility
Noun
  • However, there were signs of the difficulties clubs faced in concluding their business by 7pm.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • More concerning memory problems may involve difficulty retaining new information in the first place, like repeatedly asking a question without remembering the answer.
    — Danielle Zickl, HEALTH, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of difficulty
Noun
  • The lawsuit further alleged that Trader Joe’s put its crustless PB&Js peanut in packaging that too closely resembled the coloring of an Uncrustables box and featured a similar photograph of a sandwich with a bite taken out of one side.
    — Dee-Ann Durbin, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Throughout the night, creatives grazed on light bites from Goop Kitchen—the teriyaki salmon hand rolls were a crowd favorite—and bopped to the tunes from DJ Mariko.
    — Paul Chi, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of bite
Noun
  • Firefighters and authorities in both European countries were caught off guard by the virulence of the fires, which were fueled by high temperatures and the long-term effects of climate change.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
  • The virulence of the French and Spanish wildfires, fueled by high temperatures and the long-term effects of climate change, caught fire crews and authorities off guard.
    — Mark Carlson, Fortune, 25 July 2026
Definition of virulence

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Cite this Entry

“Asperity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asperity. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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