How to Use bitter in a Sentence

bitter

1 of 2 adjective
Definition of bitternext
Synonyms for bitternext
  • We were struck by the bitter irony of the situation.
  • The medicine had a bitter aftertaste.
  • He's the bitterest man I know.
  • Cocoa beans have a bitter flavor.
  • She was still bitter toward her ex-husband.
  • His betrayal had made her bitter.
  • The last weeks of duck season can bring bitter cold, snow and ice—and fresh ducks to your neck of the marsh.
    — T. Edward Nickens, Field & Stream, 27 Dec. 2023
  • Ready to do something about it now that the bitter cold is behind us?
    — Kc Property Group, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2024
  • Brazil and Uruguay became bitter rivals over the years, and the rivalry came to a head in the 1950 World Cup.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
  • Parsnips, turnips, and rutabagas are all very earthy, sometimes bitter, and tend to be quite strong.
    — Christopher Michel, Country Living, 29 Aug. 2023
  • That candy dish on the boss’s desk is meant to counter the bitter taste of tough conversations.
    — Callum Borchers, WSJ, 7 Dec. 2023
  • Prince Harry’s bitter, yearslong feud with Britain’s tabloid press will come to a head this week.
    — Mark Landler, BostonGlobe.com, 5 June 2023
  • Killer Mike is counting his blessings in the face of what might leave many others bitter.
    — Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2024
  • Had Joshua been white, grief would not carry the same bitter sense of disregard.
    — Imani Perry, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2023
  • The new show would mark a reunion of the pair more than a decade after Sheen’s bitter departure from the sitcom.
    — Jonah Valdez, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2023
  • But what’s amazing about Michael is that all those falls and all those trips to the hospital could have turned him bitter.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 11 May 2023
  • Varoufakis is still bitter about the way his tenure ended, six months in.
    — Sheelah Kolhatkar, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
  • Muddle gently, avoiding the lime rinds, which can add a bitter taste.
    — Lucy Buffett, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2023
  • More on that in a minute, although perhaps the less said about that bitter memory the better.
    — Kevin Scarbinsky | , al, 28 May 2023
  • But treason is even more bitter if the traitor is a personal friend and protégé like Prigozhin.
    — Time, 24 Aug. 2023
  • Why not get a treat—maybe some ice cream, a little plant, or even a Garfield phone—to wash the bitter taste of reality all down?
    — Chloe Berger, Fortune, 14 June 2023
  • Smith allowed three runs in that game, which was played in bitter cold conditions.
    — Matt Jones, arkansasonline.com, 24 Feb. 2024
  • Buy sesame seeds in bulk to keep costs down, and take care not to over-toast the seeds to prevent bitter flavors from developing.
    — Joy Cho, Good Housekeeping, 16 May 2023
  • That was my story back then: twenty-four years old and already bitter.
    — Camille Bordas, The New Yorker, 3 July 2023
  • For most towns, the bitter diatribe of a man several thousands of miles away would have made no dent at all.
    — David Reamer | Alaska History, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Aug. 2023
  • But that power also begins to be weaponized, opening a bitter, new front in the culture war.
    — Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2023
  • After that, Rota figures, there are some bitter pills to come.
    — Scott McLean, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
  • The storm hit the northwest corner of the U.S. as much of the rest of the country coped with bitter weather that in some places put electricity supplies at risk.
    — CBS News, 18 Jan. 2024
  • Grapes can also dry out when sunburned, which can result in brown, bitter wines.
    — Sofia Andrade, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2023
  • The flavor, which is unique, can only be described as acorn – bitter rather than nutty.
    — Violet Kim, CNN, 28 June 2023
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bitter

2 of 2 noun
  • The cocktail recipe called for a dash of bitters.
  • This grown-up shake triples down on the peach, in the form of ice cream, fresh fruit and bitters.
    — Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 20 July 2019
  • Even at its best, the cocktail of hope can be dashed with bitters.
    — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023
  • Using orange bitters in the glaze takes the cake to the next level.
    — Stacey Ballis, chicagotribune.com, 4 Oct. 2019
  • Muddle the sugar cube and bitters in the glass, then add the bourbon and 1 large ice cube.
    — Cole Wilson, Popular Mechanics, 24 Apr. 2020
  • The drink boasts hints of maple wood and an aroma of caramel, along with a taste of bright orange bitters.
    — People Staff, Peoplemag, 25 May 2023
  • The bitters seem to have been added after 1948, as Embury doesn’t call for them.
    — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2024
  • It’s been said that bitters are to cocktails what spices are to cooking.
    — Sarah Grossbart, wsj.com, 12 Oct. 2023
  • Cherry bitters taste like pits and deeply ripened fruit.
    — Allison Robicelli, Washington Post, 1 June 2023
  • The vodka mule is made with vodka, ginger beer, lime, and a splash of bitters, and has a spicy kick.
    — Erica Sweeney, Men's Health, 1 May 2023
  • Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice and float 3 dashes of bitters.
    — Sam Dangremond, Town & Country, 5 Apr. 2023
  • Fill a cocktail shaker two-thirds of the way with ice cubes, then add the lime juice, coconut cream and bitters.
    — M. Carrie Allan, Twin Cities, 19 Aug. 2019
  • Add ice to a mixing glass, followed by the bitters, gin, vermouth and lemon brine.
    — M. Carrie Allan, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2023
  • The old fashioned uses Knob Creek bourbon and has the right hints of bitters and orange.
    — Chuck Blount, ExpressNews.com, 9 Oct. 2019
  • Add the pinch of salt and dash of orange bitters to a mixing glass and swirl them together briefly.
    — M. Carrie Allan, Washington Post, 8 July 2019
  • All of it was washed down with a savage blend of Egyptian arak and Ghanaian herbal bitters.
    — The Economist, 18 Dec. 2019
  • Use a dropper to apply 4 drops bitters to egg-white head.
    — Aleksandra Crapanzano, WSJ, 24 Feb. 2023
  • Try The West Coast, a refreshing blend of local gin, bitters, lemon juice, egg white, and kelp salt.
    — Seth Shezi, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Sep. 2018
  • The muddler is handy for mashing up sugar cubes and bitters, too.
    — Sean Evans, Glamour, 6 Dec. 2023
  • As the scent deepens, we are left with spicy palo santo and patchouli, with dark musk and juniper bitters at the base.
    — India Espy-Jones, Essence, 12 Dec. 2023
  • Put 2–4 dashes of Angostura bitters on the sugar cube and drop it in the glass.
    — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 May 2023
  • Add the rum, mezcal, bitters, lime juice, passion fruit liqueur and ginger syrup.
    — Sonia Rao, chicagotribune.com, 29 June 2018
  • Greed always has been there, but its cocktail of avarice liquor and bitters has been poured too strong and now goes down hard and ugly.
    — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2024
  • Try the ginger bitters in a Kentucky Mule or use the Chili bitters to spice up any whiskey libation.
    — Sean Evans, Glamour, 6 Dec. 2023
  • This six-piece Cocktail Making Kit includes bitters; just add the liquor.
    — Margaret Drake, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2023
  • Picture a Manhattan—a couple ounces of rye whiskey, one of sweet vermouth, and a dash or two of bitters.
    — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 6 May 2023
  • The leaves are typically dried and ground up, then brewed in hot water to make a bitter-tasting tea.
    — Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 10 Oct. 2022
  • The distillery makes all its own booze, including liqueurs, bitters and vermouths, and the cocktails are great.
    — Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2024
  • It’s made with oat milk infused with olive oil, demerara syrup and a dash of orange bitters.
    — Colleen Barry, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Mar. 2023
  • Stir the vermouth mix and vodka over ice and strain into a martini glass coated with the bitter of choice.
    — Joanne Shurvell, Forbes, 17 June 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bitter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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