caustic

adjective

ˈkȯ-stik How to pronounce caustic (audio)
Definition of causticnext
as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings caustic movie reviews that serve mainly to show how clever the reviewer is

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective caustic contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of caustic are acrid, mordant, and scathing. While all these words mean "stingingly incisive," caustic suggests a biting wit.

caustic comments

When is acrid a more appropriate choice than caustic?

While the synonyms acrid and caustic are close in meaning, acrid implies bitterness and often malevolence.

acrid invective

In what contexts can mordant take the place of caustic?

In some situations, the words mordant and caustic are roughly equivalent. However, mordant suggests a wit that is used with deadly effectiveness.

mordant reviews of the play

When might scathing be a better fit than caustic?

Although the words scathing and caustic have much in common, scathing implies indignant attacks delivered with fierce severity.

a scathing satire

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of caustic This process uses caustic liquids and high temperatures to extract and refine alumina from bauxite ore. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 June 2026 On Hacks, Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), a caustic comedian, will happily sell her stories and likeness in exchange for mountains of cash. — Caroline Framke, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 Beyond his infamously relentless rate of output (and all the frequent rebrandings and extracurricular pursuits he’s initiated along the way), Dwyer’s music is actually becoming more caustic and confrontational as time goes on. — Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 18 June 2026 Rohmer’s caustic cynicism Conversely, a filmmaker of the French New Wave who has seen his stock rise during the last few years is Eric Rohmer, championed by Noah Baumbach among others. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for caustic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caustic
  1. sarcastic
  2. satiric
  3. acidic
  4. acid
  5. barbed
  6. corrosive
Adjective
  • This is taken as evidence of his status, not a sarcastic criticism.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
  • On Monday night, Contreras was ejected in the second inning after a check-swing strikeout prompted him to give a sarcastic ABS challenge gesture at the umpire, earning an instant boot.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of sarcastic
Adjective
  • The script for the video was written by Casale and his longtime friend Max Papeschi, an Italian satirical artist.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 July 2026
  • Staff members of the satirical magazine Leman are on trial on charges of inciting hatred over a cartoon published last year that features the Prophet Mohammed and Moses.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Definition of satiric
Adjective
  • Avocado, tomatillos, a serrano pepper, and lime are mixed together in just five minutes to make a bright and acidic dip that's served best with your favorite tortilla chips.
    — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
  • It’s absorbed without needing food or a highly acidic environment.
    — Taylor Lane, Flow Space, 30 June 2026
Definition of acidic
Adjective
  • Scotto highlighted that Kinetik has purpose-built its system for sour gas handling, giving it an edge over new competitors that may face permitting delays of at least three years to build acid gas injection wells.
    — TipRanks.com Staff, CNBC, 21 June 2026
  • On the other hand, a hydrangea species that can sometimes disappoint Chicago-area gardeners is the bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), known for having big blue blooms when grown in acid soil and popular in the eastern United States.
    — Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
Definition of acid
Adjective
  • The fence, as constructed, is more than 8 feet tall and is topped with a strand of barbed wire — too high for many animals to jump and dangerous for those that attempt to do so.
    — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 28 June 2026
  • Vines have grown through the fence and barbed wire surrounding a tall art deco building in this city’s downtown, and cigarette holders and empty food tins litter the tall weeds.
    — Susan Svrluga, Washington Post, 24 June 2026
Definition of barbed
Adjective
  • Critics see it as another attempt to breathe life into claims that courts, investigators and election officials have repeatedly rejected — and another corrosive attempt to undermine faith in the state’s vote.
    — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
  • All of them are driving a developmentally inappropriate, emotionally corrosive process that produces anxiety, identity foreclosure, and burnout at scale.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of corrosive

Browse Nearby Words

causing
caustic
caustically
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Cite this Entry

“Caustic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caustic. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on caustic

Nglish: Translation of caustic for Spanish Speakers

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