STINGING Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

stinging 1 of 2

adjective

as in biting

causing intense discomfort to one's skin these cold, stinging winds are not just a discomfort—they can be dangerous to exposed flesh

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stinging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of sting

as in gouging

to charge (someone) too much for goods or services a nightclub that's been stinging patrons for years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

undercharging

as in plucking

to rob by the use of trickery or threats swindlers who sting unwary tourists by posing as officials demanding money

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 stinging

Adjective

Biting and stinging arthropods, such as wasps, mosquitos and spiders, account for five states. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 That move came just as the clock was running out Friday on stopgap levies the president imposed after a stinging defeat for other tariffs at the Supreme Court. — ABC News, 24 July 2026 The researchers' device aims to solve the stinging problem by physically preventing this meeting (unfortunately no images of it are available at this time). — New Atlas, 30 June 2026 Since September of 2024, federal science agencies in the US have axed nearly 120,000 employees, in a stinging loss for public research. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 25 June 2026 Jean-Philippe Mateta, named in France’s World Cup squad earlier this month, reacted superbly after Rayo keeper Augusto Batalla could only parry a stinging Wharton shot from the edge of the box. — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 27 May 2026 Coming up short in the 2025 ISL boys lacrosse championship left a stinging sensation for Tabor Academy. — Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 17 May 2026 Parasitoids are non-stinging wasps, flies, and other insects that develop on or in a host, eventually killing it. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026 My eyes, raw and stinging, now filled with their own salty tears. — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026

Verb

The bugs, particularly ticks, ants, mosquitoes and stinging insects, are going to take full advantage thanks to warmer temperatures, according to the National Pest Management Associations (NPMA)'s biannual Bug Barometer®. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 The breakthrough clue was its cnidocysts, specialized cells found in invertebrates such as jellyfish and corals that contain their stinging bits. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Aug. 2026 Battered fish and salt-and-vinegar-seasoned chips have been a staple for hundreds of years, best paired with stinging seaside winds and spray. — Will Barker, TheWeek, 17 Aug. 2026 Nidhi, still pleading with her to drop them, followed, the long grass stinging her ankles. — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026 The island’s very existence—a prosperous, democratic Chinese society integrated with the West—offers a stinging rebuke to the claim that authoritarian rule is uniquely suited to the Chinese people. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 Still stinging emotionally from the recording studio shooting and assault case that both happened in New York and Shakur feared were setups, Knight told Kearse a week after Shakur’s death that Tupac had more than a financial connection to Death Row. — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 The downside is that the active ingredients can trigger stinging, breakouts or reactions in people with sensitive skin. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026 The 21-year-old grows more confident when starting on the left wing, stinging the outside of Rosenborg’s goalpost wth a solid effort in the 28th minute. — Carl Anka, New York Times, 25 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinging

Adjective

The pacing is more frenetic, the narration more biting, the flashbacks more jarring, and the comedowns much harsher.

— Hannah Giorgis Yohannes, Vanity Fair, 13 July 2026
Described as a biting political thriller in the tradition of Wild in the Streets and V for Vendetta, The Hunted is set in a dystopian America where trans people are brutalized and erased to the margins of society.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 20 June 2026

Definition of biting

Verb

The shrapnel tore through the metal surrounding the engine, shattering the window at row 11, leaving a dent in the plane near row 8 and puncturing the body below the wing, as well as gouging and denting the tail, the NTSB said.

— Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
The agencies also encouraged states with price-gouging statutes to determine whether enforcement actions are warranted under those laws.

— Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026

Definition of gouging

Verb

The streamer has found its leading lady for the biopic, plucking an unknown first-timer to play the sertanejo icon.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
Dramatic photos taken from the scene show a firefighter on a tower ladder plucking a panicked child from a fire escape.

— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of plucking

Adjective

Trump has declined so far to endorse a successor, opting to keep his cards close ahead of what’s likely to be a bitter race.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026
If more than a small portion is green, or the potato smells off, feels soft, or tastes bitter after cooking, discard it.

— Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of bitter

Verb

In this case, the reward was solving the ExploitGym questions and the hacking was literally hacking—cheating on the test and then hacking into Hugging Face in an effort to cover up the cheating (more on that below).

— Emily Forlini, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
The Model 3 and Model Y adopted less elaborate press-and-pivot handles, helping give the cars their clean, wind-cheating profiles.

— Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of cheating

Verb

In the distance, a toddler in a matching Nike outfit literally leaped into the arms of a crying woman, perhaps a grandmother, squeezing tightly for a hug.

— Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
The floods will likely change that outlook, squeezing a country that’s heavily dependent on tourism while forcing a costly period of reconstruction.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of squeezing

Adjective

These critters may look cute and cuddly, but their sharp claws are anything but.

— Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026
Domagal-Goldman compared Roman’s capabilities to capturing an all-encompassing view of a forest as well as seeing sharp details of its trees, like leaves and birds, all at the same time.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of sharp

Verb

Excess moisture is the biggest concern, so avoid soaking the surface and dry it thoroughly after cleaning.

— Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
Upstairs, the primary suite flaunts a projector, large walk-in closets, and a skylit bath spotlighted by a huge oval soaking tub.

— Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of soaking

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stinginess

stinging

stings

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Style

“Stinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinging. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of stinging

adjective

verb

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