Standard Lemma guide

vitriolic

adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /vɪtɹɪˈɒlɪk/
  • General-American: /ˌvɪt.riˈɑ.lɪk/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: V IH2 T R IY0 AA1 L IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of or pertaining to vitriol; derived from or resembling vitriol.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

Topics: chemistry, inorganic-chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

Examples

  • a vitriolic taste

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: caustic, vitriolous

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Bitterly scathing, caustic.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • vitriolic criticism

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: acerbic, vituperative

Antonyms: gentle, benign

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: caustic, corrosive, erosive, mordant

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

harsh or corrosive in tone

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose
  • 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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: acerb, acerbic, acid, acrid, bitter, blistering, caustic, sulfurous, sulphurous, virulent

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From vitriol + -ic; or from French vitriolique (cognate with Italian vetriolico, Portuguese vitriolico, Spanish vitriólico).

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: сулфатен (sulfaten) — resembling vitriol
  • Finnish: vihtrillin- — resembling vitriol