1
as in bitterness
a harsh or sharp quality
doesn't like the asperity of most experimental music
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in severity
biting sharpness of feeling or expression
she responded with such asperity that we knew she was deeply offended by the question
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hardship
something that is a cause for suffering or special effort especially in the attainment of a goal
He overcame his share of asperities on the road to success.
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of asperity
Faults typically contain surface irregularities, known as asperities, which prevent smooth movement between tectonic plates.
—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
What gives the movie much of its poignancy and power is Hart’s realization, and ours, that the asperity and regret showcased in his famous lyrics are no longer in fashion.
—
Peter Rainer,
Christian Science Monitor,
23 Oct. 2025
Advertisement On a re-read, Orwell’s narrative holds up, in large part due to the asperity of the prose and the prescient description of how fascism can creep into any society that takes freedom for granted.
—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Oct. 2023
Her asperity has brought upon her the full flaming rage of the Twittersphere.
—
Meghan Cox Gurdon,
WSJ,
2 Oct. 2022
Imagine Don Draper’s grasp of American psychopathology delivered with the pithy asperity of Emily Dickinson.
—
Megan O’Grady,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2020
By the time Keane wrote Devoted Ladies, a note of asperity had crept into her fiction.
—
Francine Prose,
The New York Review of Books,
22 Nov. 2018
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
What gives the movie much of its poignancy and power is Hart’s realization, and ours, that the asperity and regret showcased in his famous lyrics are no longer in fashion.
—
Peter Rainer,
Christian Science Monitor,
23 Oct. 2025
Advertisement On a re-read, Orwell’s narrative holds up, in large part due to the asperity of the prose and the prescient description of how fascism can creep into any society that takes freedom for granted.
—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Oct. 2023
Her asperity has brought upon her the full flaming rage of the Twittersphere.
—
Meghan Cox Gurdon,
WSJ,
2 Oct. 2022
Imagine Don Draper’s grasp of American psychopathology delivered with the pithy asperity of Emily Dickinson.
—
Megan O’Grady,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2020
By the time Keane wrote Devoted Ladies, a note of asperity had crept into her fiction.
—
Francine Prose,
The New York Review of Books,
22 Nov. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asperity
Noun
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In the case of Alito and Thomas, there is also a striking note of bitterness.
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Looking back now, however, there is no bitterness attached to that chapter.
Noun
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Emergency drain cleaning runs $400 to $1,000 or more, depending on severity.
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While most wildfires in the past burned slowly across the forest floor, providing benefits to the forest, high-severity fires roar into the tops of the trees, burning 1,000 degrees or hotter, with flames that can reach 200 feet tall.
Noun
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My history has been shaped by hardship, self-discovery and a relentless pursuit of purpose.
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So as opposed to, say, inspiring American leaders of all kinds, like a real explanation of the character of Harriet Tubman or of Chief Joseph or Americans struggled against real hardships.
Noun
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The Detroit pizza features the style’s signature crown of crispy cheese around the edges, and a blanket of brick cheese.
-
Both the scalloped edges and adorable blue gingham print made this a top pick for me.
Noun
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Engelbert has consistently mismanaged the overt physical hostility directed at the league's biggest star.
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Today, however, some experts suggest that explicit displays of racial hostility have become more visible in public spaces.
Noun
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The setback stems from difficulties manufacturing a key circuit board at the heart of the system, SemiAnalysis said in a post on Monday.
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My father barely spoke of those dangers and difficulties, the way men of his generation often did.
Noun
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At a charge, guests may also book a cute Patina Osaka wagon, packed with chairs, cuddly blankets, bites, and drinks for a bucolic picnic in the park.
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The reception reportedly offered multiple bars and food stations, which featured bites such as sushi and Italian cuisine.
Noun
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Google also mentioned that the system could do more general hypothesizing that doesn’t involve drugs, using an example of the spread of virulence genes in bacteria.
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Flu has overtaken covid in infections and hospitalizations during the winter respiratory virus season, and their virulence is becoming similar.
Cite this Entry
“Asperity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asperity. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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