smarting 1 of 3

as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin we had to press on, despite the smarting sleet that was blowing in our faces

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

smarting

2 of 3

verb

present participle of smart

smarting

3 of 3

noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smarting
Adjective
  • There is a place to scamper inside to escape the biting winds at Nordkapp — a visitor center with a coffee shop, theater, small museum and continental Europe’s northernmost post office.
    Dan Fellner, AZCentral.com, 6 July 2025
  • Share the research from 30 years ago that concludes these devices do not significantly reduce mosquito or biting insect populations.
    Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • Wiz could be a turning point for an uncertain IPO market and a mergers and acquisitions environment aching from a slowdown in deal activity.
    Samantha Subin, CNBC, 24 Mar. 2025
  • In fact, this iteration is a lighter and more cushioned version, with a level of support and shock absorption that ensures your feet are not aching after a day of sightseeing.
    Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • After all, athletes are seldom without some ache or pain when playing at a high level.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 July 2025
  • Later signs could include faster breathing, muscle aches or cramps, vomiting, confusion, a feeling of faintness, headache, and pale or clammy skin.
    Dr. Katie Lockwood, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • Instead of feeling defeated or bitter, choose to get better.
    Sandra Balogun, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • Despite her success as an art professor and painter, Ruth feels adrift and bitter.
    Bekah Waalkes, The Atlantic, 22 July 2025
Adjective
  • The find came during an impressive outing for the 36-year-old Democrat on Joe Rogan’s podcast in which the aspiring preacher espoused the same brand of sharp sound bytes that has earned him almost a million TikTok followers.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 21 July 2025
  • Colbert brought a sharper, politically critical timbre.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 21 July 2025
Noun
  • And that flutter of success, or pang of failure, lives on well after the competition.
    Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
  • The first pangs struck in late May, when Werenski and the United States won the gold medal at the IIHF World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden, the first gold for Team USA since 1933.
    Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Noun
  • Richarlison was taken off at half-time, then Maddison and Solanke were taken off after feeling knee and quad twinges respectively.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 2 May 2025
  • But these little twinges the audience might feel about everyone being mortal only added, if anything, to the evening’s personal potency, and the vitality of a reconvening of the tribe that supported the Wilson sisters from the outset, along with strays picked up during the MTV years.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Joe, who has asthma, strongly opposes the implementation of mask mandates that Mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) is keen to enforce.
    Barry Levitt, Time, 23 July 2025
  • Seeing as there are around the same number of companies keen to battle it out to make the show as there are squares on a Monopoly board, the process has been the talk of the unscripted business over the past week.
    Peter White, Deadline, 22 July 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Smarting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smarting. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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