imbitter
Definition
Verb: To make bitter or resentful; to cause someone to feel bitterness or hostility, especially due to unfair treatment or disappointment. This is a less common variant of "embitter."
Usage Examples
- (The difficulties made him feel bitter and resentful.)
- (The criticism caused her to become bitter and angry.)
- (The unfulfilled promise created widespread bitterness.)
Advanced Usage
"to imbitter one's soul": to deeply affect someone with lasting bitterness.
- The betrayal imbittered his soul, leaving him distrustful of everyone. (The betrayal caused deep, permanent resentment.)
"to be imbittered against": to hold a grudge or hostility toward someone or something.
- He became imbittered against the system that had failed him. (He developed strong resentment toward the system.)
Variants and Related Words
Imbittered (adj): feeling or showing bitterness.
- The imbittered old man refused to forgive his former partner. (The man was full of resentment.)
Imbitterment (n): the state or process of becoming bitter.
- The imbitterment of the workers grew as their demands were ignored. (The workers' bitterness increased.)
Synonyms
- Embitter: to make someone feel bitter (the standard spelling).
- Sour: to cause someone to become resentful or disillusioned.
- Poison: to fill with hostility or ill will.
Related Idioms
- Bitter pill to swallow: an unpleasant fact or situation that is hard to accept.
- Losing the championship was a bitter pill to swallow, and it imbittered him for months. (The loss was hard to accept and caused lasting bitterness.)