acrimonious

Advancedzipf 2.55

Pronunciation

/ˌækrɪˈməʊniəs/(ak-rih-MOH-nee-us)

Part of speech

adjectiveformal

Chinese

尖刻的；充满敌意的（争论或关系恶化时）

Definition

Angry and bitter in tone or character, especially in a dispute.

Word family

  • acrimony/ˈækrɪməni/(n)激烈争吵
  • acrimoniously/ˌækrɪˈməʊniəsli/(adv)

Collocations

  • acrimonious divorce
  • acrimonious debate
  • acrimonious dispute
  • bitter acrimony

Examples

  1. 1.The acrimonious divorce battle dragged on for years. (bitter, hostile)
  2. 2.The meeting descended into acrimony when budget cuts were proposed. (noun: bitter hostility)

Synonyms

  • bitter/ˈbɪtə/— full of resentment
  • hostile/ˈhɒstaɪl/— aggressive, unfriendly
  • rancorous/ˈræŋkərəs/— full of lasting bitterness

Etymology

from Latin "acrimonia" = sharpness — "acer" = sharp — sharp and cutting in tone