Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sharp, bitter, or irritating quality, especially in taste or smell: The property of being acrid, often describing something that is harshly pungent or stinging to the senses.
   • Sharpness or bitterness in language, tone, or manner: The quality of being sharply disagreeable, caustic, or resentful in expression.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Sensory):
  • The acridness of the smoke made it difficult to breathe.
  • He detected a distinct acridness in the chemical's odor.
• Noun (Figurative - Language/Tone):
  • The critic's review was noted for its surprising acridness.
  • Her reply was filled with such acridness that it ended the conversation.

Advanced Usage

• "with acridness": Used to describe the manner in which something is said or expressed.
  • She spoke of her former colleague with undisguised acridness.

Variants and Related Words

• Acrid (adj): Having a sharply bitter or pungent taste or smell; caustic in language or tone.
  • The fire left an acrid smell in the air.
  • His acrid remarks offended many.
• Acridity (n): A synonym for acridness, often used interchangeably.
  • The acridity of the comment was unmistakable.

Synonyms

• Bitterness: Sharpness of taste; intense resentment or cynicism.
• Pungency: A sharply strong taste or smell.
• Causticity: The quality of being sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way.
• Acerbity: Sharpness and directness in speech, often expressing criticism.

Related Idioms

• To leave a bitter taste (in one's mouth): To cause a feeling of disappointment or resentment (figuratively related to the sense of acridness).
  • The unfair decision left a bitter taste in everyone's mouth.

Noun

1. the quality of being sharply disagreeable in language or tone
2. extreme bitterness
   • the acridity of alkali