acrimony

acrimony, acerbity, asperity agree in denoting temper or language marked by irritation or some degree of anger or resentment.

Acrimony implies bitterness or ill will and also greater stinging or blistering power in what is said than the others

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the controversial writings of the seventeenth century are notorious for their acrimony

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we all know how easy it is to . . . defend a pet theory with acrimony— Quiller-Couch

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Acerbity implies sourness as well as bitterness, sometimes as shown in words or mood, but more often as manifested in a morose, embittered nature

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the judge’s smile seemed to operate on her acerbity of heart like sunshine upon vinegar, making it ten times sourer— Hawthorne

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Often it suggests crabbedness

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the Milton of religious and political controversy . . . is not seldom disfigured by want of amenity, by acerbity— Arnold

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Asperity retains implications of harshness and roughness chiefly in reference to style

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the elderly ladies in his audience had been shocked by the asperities of the new style in music— Copland

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In general use asperity stresses quickness of temper or sharpness of resentment but it rarely suggests bitterness

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told him with some asperity to mind his own business

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Analogous words: bitterness (see corresponding adjective at BITTER): ill will, malignity, malignancy, spite, spleen, *malice, malevolence: rancor, animus, animosity, antipathy (see ENMITY)

Antonyms: suavity

Contrasted words: urbanity, diplomacy (see corresponding adjectives at SUAVE): courtesy, civility, politeness (see corresponding adjectives at CIVIL)