smarting 1 of 3

as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin we had to press on, despite the smarting sleet that was blowing in our faces

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

smarting

2 of 3

noun

smarting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of smart

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smarting
Adjective
  • On a recent Saturday afternoon, several thousand people gathered in Union Square, in the biting cold, for a rally in support of trans youth.
    Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Now, 72 hours after being purged because they were considered probationary workers, a biting reality has set in for many of them.
    CNN.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Strep throat can cause symptoms like severe sore throat, sudden fever, and body aches.
    Sarah Hudgens, Health, 27 Feb. 2025
  • People of all ages can fall sick with the bug, which typically begins with the victim suffering from stomach pain, fever, and body aches.
    Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The imagery of The Pink Opaque’s Midnight Realm is frightening, but the potent themes and aching nostalgia are what will keep you up at night.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Risotto, in other words, is governed by a set of laws that are rooted in tradition, rich in common sense, and aching to be broken or bent.
    Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The bitter exchange was unlike any other in the Oval Office in modern times. 13:43 With Ukraine's future in the balance, a high-stakes meeting on Friday between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy devolved into a shouting match.
    Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 28 Feb. 2025
  • But there are some whiskey fans who crave high-proof spirits the way others will seek out intensely hoppy beer or extremely bitter amaro: the more extreme, the better, full stop.
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Put on gloves: To protect your hands from sharp pieces.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Three sharp teeth emerge from the bottom of its frozen jawline.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Nodding toward this Odyssean journey, Wang’s novel presents a familiar tale of war and homecoming, rife with correspondence, death, and pangs of yearning for a beloved back home.
    The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025
  • Taken together, these individuals’ collective experiences force us to expand our understanding of the accomplishments and costs of the Civil War, and to weigh anew the pangs that accompanied the new birth of freedom.
    Robert Colby, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • But these little twinges the audience might feel about everyone being mortal only added, if anything, to the evening’s personal potency, and the vitality of a reconvening of the tribe that supported the Wilson sisters from the outset, along with strays picked up during the MTV years.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Then, as the show progresses into new story lines and the rest of the cast tries to carry on without their key player, almost like a phantom limb, the audience feels a constant twinge that something is missing.
    Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2024
Adjective
  • Rosanna Fiedler, founder of the one-year-old brand Wyld Box Jewelry, creates adornments with the artistry of a sculptor and the vision of a keen vintage jewelry connoisseur.
    Kyle Roderick, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
  • As a keen music lover, Lowson decided to sing for the residents using the nursing home's karaoke kit.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Smarting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smarting. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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