How to Use bitter in a Sentence

bitter

1 of 3 adjective
  • 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.
  • What kind of drink can be bitter and sweet?
    — Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
  • Mix the bitter with the sweet in death and life.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The worst are bitter, stale or bland.
    — Jolene Thym, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The bitter humor has been a part of that.
    — Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 24 Jan. 2026
  • These are not the bitter rantings of an old man.
    — Tim Greiving, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2025
  • Chard leaves tend to taste bitter in the heat of summer.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Does that fuel you or put a bitter taste in your mouth?
    — Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 4 June 2026
  • What might the youth be feeling bitter about?
    — Christopher Hooks, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
  • The twilights of these long-term deals might be bitter.
    — Matt Gelb, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
  • And that joke carries a bitter truth.
    — Yunus Emre Tozal, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
  • The stalks are slightly sweet, while the leaves are earthy and bitter.
    — Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The stalks are slightly sweet, while the leaves are earthy and bitter.
    — Isabel Vasquez Rd Ldn, Health, 27 June 2026
  • Although the winds had died down, yet the bitter cold cut to the bone.
    — Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
  • This will help balance the bitter taste.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2026
  • A day of rides and a parade couldn’t get his mind off the bitter loss.
    — Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Those of us who want a better country, not a bitter one.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Add the bitter greens and eggs and boil for 4 minutes, then add the spinach.
    — The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Sep. 2025
  • The skin can also taste bitter, said Bober.
    — Sherri Gordon, Health, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Ready to do something about it now that the bitter cold is behind us?
    — Kc Property Group, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2024
  • Not when Laurie is drunk and bitter.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Jan. 2026
  • So chocolate started as a bitter drink, not a sweet one.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
  • This process is going to make your coffee taste more bitter.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
  • All in all, a good meal that leaves no bitter aftertaste.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • The tension between the league and its stars had grown bitter.
    — Yohana Desta, Vanity Fair, 7 May 2026

bitter

2 of 3 noun
  • The cocktail recipe called for a dash of bitters.
  • Even at its best, the cocktail of hope can be dashed with bitters.
    — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023
  • It’s been said that bitters are to cocktails what spices are to cooking.
    — Sarah Grossbart, wsj.com, 12 Oct. 2023
  • Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice and float 3 dashes of bitters.
    — Sam Dangremond, Town & Country, 5 Apr. 2023
  • Using orange bitters in the glaze takes the cake to the next level.
    — Stacey Ballis, chicagotribune.com, 4 Oct. 2019
  • 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 muddler is handy for mashing up sugar cubes and bitters, too.
    — Sean Evans, Glamour, 6 Dec. 2023
  • Add ice to a mixing glass, followed by the bitters, gin, vermouth and lemon brine.
    — M. Carrie Allan, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2023
  • Add bourbon, lemon, ginger syrup, and bitters, and shake for six to eight seconds.
    — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Add the rum, mezcal, bitters, lime juice, passion fruit liqueur and ginger syrup.
    — Sonia Rao, chicagotribune.com, 29 June 2018
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Loaded with bourbon, ginger, and bitters, shoo-fly punch is great for any spring party.
    — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 old fashioned has a touch of tang from pomegranate, smoothed out by cherry bark vanilla bitters.
    — Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Add the bitters, then taste and add some maple syrup, if additional sweetness is desired.
    — M. Carrie Allan, The Denver Post, 23 Oct. 2019
  • All of it was washed down with a savage blend of Egyptian arak and Ghanaian herbal bitters.
    — The Economist, 18 Dec. 2019
  • In a mixing glass, stir together the bitters, cherry juice and simple syrup.
    — M. Carrie Allan, The Denver Post, 23 Aug. 2019
  • Ranch Water is tequila, soda, lime and bitters.
    — Kansas City Star, 5 Dec. 2025
  • 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
  • The distillery makes all its own booze, including liqueurs, bitters and vermouths, and the cocktails are great.
    — Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2024
  • The peach whiskey sour mixes an Italian liqueur, bourbon, peaches, lemon juice and bitters.
    — Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
  • The bitters seem to have been added after 1948, as Embury doesn’t call for them.
    — Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 23 Mar. 2024
  • In a blender, combine the Angostura bitters and heavy cream.
    — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
  • Radicchio leaves had been dressed with kefir and gorgonzola, the tart and the sweet funk offsetting the bitter.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2026

bitter

3 of 3 verb
  • Ginger bitters counter the prominent elderflower notes, while the cider gives the glass a silky finish instead of boisterous bubbles.
    — Rheanna Bellomo, Esquire, 2018-02-16
  • Used as a bittering agent and preservative, hops are now bred and cultivated to contribute a myriad of flavors at various stages of the brewing process.
    — Spike Carter, Bloomberg.com, 2017-06-09
  • Bitters are a simple combination of high-proof, neutral grain alcohol infused with bittering roots or herbs, and can be pepped up with aromatic and flavored plants or spices.
    — Meghan Nesmith, Bon Appetit, 2017-05-16
  • Though all of these new drinks share a yin-yang bittersweet personality, flavors can vary surprisingly, depending on alcohol levels, the array of botanicals in the mix and the power of the bittering agents.
    — Robert Simonson, New York Times, 2017-06-30

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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