VITRIOLIC • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Vitriolic

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/vˌɪtriˈɑlɪk/ Listen

Vitriolic

adjective

Harsh or corrosive in tone. Synonyms: acerb, acerbic, acid, acrid, bitter, blistering, caustic, sulfurous, sulphurous, virulent. "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"

Of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action. Synonyms: caustic, corrosive, erosive, mordant.

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Etymology of 'Vitriolic'

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"Vitriolic" Quotes from Famous Books

... nevertheless, it may not be amiss to mention, that the right Colchester are kept in slime-pits, occasionally overflowed by the sea; and that the green colour, so much admired by the voluptuaries of this metropolis, is occasioned by the vitriolic scum, which rises on the surface of the stagnant and stinking water — Our rabbits are bred and fed in the poulterer's cellar, where they have neither air nor exercise, consequently they must be firm in flesh, and delicious in flavour; and there is no game ...

— The Expedition of Humphry Clinker • Tobias Smollett

... bear a hand, but Bourne unceremoniously took him by the arm and said with concentration, "No thanks, Acton. We'll excuse you—you beastly cad!" I heard Bourne's remark, though no one else saw or heard. Acton's hand closed involuntarily, and he gave Bourne a vitriolic look, but did nothing nor said anything. We took Aspinall up to Merishall's—his old house—where he was staying, and left ...

— Acton's Feud - A Public School Story • Frederick Swainson

Words linked to "Vitriolic" : unpleasant, bitter, virulent, vitriol, destructive