1. (

• acerb ,
• acerbic ,
• astringent

) sour or bitter in taste ;

2. (

• acerb ,
• acerbic ,
• acid ,
• acrid ,
• bitter ,
• blistering ,
• caustic ,
• sulfurous ,
• sulphurous ,
• virulent ,
• vitriolic

) harsh or corrosive in tone; "an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose"; "a barrage of acid comments"; "her acrid remarks make her many enemies"; "bitter words"; "blistering criticism"; "caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics"; "a sulfurous denunciation"; "a vitriolic critique" ;