as in biting
causing intense discomfort to one's skin
these cold, stinging winds are not just a discomfort—they can be dangerous to exposed flesh
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in gouging
to charge (someone) too much for goods or services
a nightclub that's been stinging patrons for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in plucking
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
swindlers who sting unwary tourists by posing as officials demanding money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of stinging
Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
Parasitoids are specialized types of predatory insects that include non-stinging wasps, flies, and other insects.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
Andrew Lichtenstein | Corbis News | Getty Images The Senate on Thursday overturned a mining moratorium in Minnesota's Superior National Forest, a boon for a Chilean mining company subsidiary and a stinging loss for environmentalists trying to protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
What’s known as burning or stinging nettles has hairs along the stems that release a stinging, burning compound when touched.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
Beekeeping Frisco businessman Nate Sheets had a comfortable lead over three-term Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in a heated Republican primary Tuesday after roughly half the votes were tallied, a stinging initial victory in a race roiled by an unusual split at the top of the GOP.
—Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
The most stinging examples involved longtime partner and close personal friend Ryan Lindgren, and more recently, Panarin.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Those, and other comments, had surprised some onlookers, and led to author Arundhati Roy cancelling her visit to the festival and penning a stinging rebuke.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026
After a stinging loss at Wichita State over the weekend, Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway is still figuring out why the Tigers aren't playing their best.
—Corinne S Kennedy, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 25 Jan. 2026
Beren Cross, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Trump was the butt of several stinging jokes made by both President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
But closer analysis revealed it was made of fibrous layers packed with stinging cells, pointing to a connection with cnidarians, the group that includes corals and anemones.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Those feeding polyps have tentacles and stinging cells that trap plankton, then send food to a common digestive system so the entire colony feeds as one.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
The verdict is a stinging rebuke to the Department of Justice, which settled with Live Nation early in the trial, leaving it to the states to litigate to a verdict.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Live Nation ain’t turning the other cheek to a stinging jury verdict today that labeled the Ticketmaster-owning concert and talent promoter a monopoly.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
With a stinging defeat in the rearview mirror, Charles Lee knows the task at hand for the Charlotte Hornets.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 12 Apr. 2026
In the News Chronicle, published seven months after the rescue, Cox said the raft was initially attacked by a stinging octopus, and that the lost man, severed by a shark, was finished off by a manta ray.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The scientists found both were composed of a fibrous material that contained many stinging cells called spirocysts, which belong exclusively to the branch of aquatic invertebrates known as cnidarians.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
Parasitoids are specialized types of predatory insects that include non-stinging wasps, flies, and other insects.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2026
Andrew Lichtenstein | Corbis News | Getty Images The Senate on Thursday overturned a mining moratorium in Minnesota's Superior National Forest, a boon for a Chilean mining company subsidiary and a stinging loss for environmentalists trying to protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
—Garrett Downs, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2026
What’s known as burning or stinging nettles has hairs along the stems that release a stinging, burning compound when touched.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
Beekeeping Frisco businessman Nate Sheets had a comfortable lead over three-term Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in a heated Republican primary Tuesday after roughly half the votes were tallied, a stinging initial victory in a race roiled by an unusual split at the top of the GOP.
—Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
The most stinging examples involved longtime partner and close personal friend Ryan Lindgren, and more recently, Panarin.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Those, and other comments, had surprised some onlookers, and led to author Arundhati Roy cancelling her visit to the festival and penning a stinging rebuke.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 14 Feb. 2026
After a stinging loss at Wichita State over the weekend, Memphis basketball coach Penny Hardaway is still figuring out why the Tigers aren't playing their best.
—Corinne S Kennedy, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 25 Jan. 2026
Verb
Captain Ethan Ampadu is one of the survivors of that stinging 2024 play-off final defeat.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Trump was the butt of several stinging jokes made by both President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
But closer analysis revealed it was made of fibrous layers packed with stinging cells, pointing to a connection with cnidarians, the group that includes corals and anemones.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Those feeding polyps have tentacles and stinging cells that trap plankton, then send food to a common digestive system so the entire colony feeds as one.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
The verdict is a stinging rebuke to the Department of Justice, which settled with Live Nation early in the trial, leaving it to the states to litigate to a verdict.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Live Nation ain’t turning the other cheek to a stinging jury verdict today that labeled the Ticketmaster-owning concert and talent promoter a monopoly.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
With a stinging defeat in the rearview mirror, Charles Lee knows the task at hand for the Charlotte Hornets.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 12 Apr. 2026
In the News Chronicle, published seven months after the rescue, Cox said the raft was initially attacked by a stinging octopus, and that the lost man, severed by a shark, was finished off by a manta ray.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stinging
Adjective
-
The tracks are more vulnerable, biting, and self-aware than ever, and in some cases, feature lyrics pulled right out of Hjelt’s diary.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The 2019 image of the peanut-chomping envoy quickly went viral, begetting a biting social-media hashtag: #LordCacahuates (Lord Peanuts).—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Run a putty knife along the wet popcorn ceiling to scrape off the popcorn texture, but be careful to avoid gouging the ceiling with the corner of the putty knife.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Beyond the claims itself, evidence released in the trial had revealed some unflattering conversations between Live Nation representatives, perhaps most notably a set of exchanges between two regional employees bragging to each other about gouging concertgoers on ancillary fees and parking spaces.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For some, working with soil evokes nostalgia for childhood summers, smelling thorny roses in bloom and plucking ripe tomatoes off the vine.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Brawley hires football coach After a months-long search, Brawley High School has hired a football coach, plucking Rick Stewart away from Calipatria.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Down 3-1 after dropping the first three games, little has gone right for the Penguins against their most bitter rival, and advancing will require an improbable and historic comeback.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The bitter legal fight between Elon Musk and the leading artificial intelligence firm, OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, may come down to a few pages in one executive's personal diary.—
Deepa Seetharaman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
When the cheating scandal happened, there was a groundswell of support from fans, a protectiveness over Long as a woman and as a cultural touchstone.—
Zeba Blay,
SELF,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Notice something small, then compliment it This one is almost cheating.—
Henna Pryor,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
From truckers to commuters, gasoline prices are squeezing budgets across the country.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The university is scheduled to replace the turf in July, squeezing into a tight window of summer events.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Nikola Katic, a mountain of a defender, all elbows and sharp edges, was terrific before suffering a season-ending injury during Bosnia and Herzegovina’s World Cup qualification win over Italy.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Three candidates are vying to lead Chula Vista, San Diego County’s second-largest city, in the June primary, with the winner set to serve a four-year term atop a City Council that has been marked in recent years by sharp partisan division.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Officials say soaking rain is needed to snuff out the larger fires.—
Emilie Megnien,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The primary suite boasts two walk-in closets and a spacious en-suite bathroom with a soaking tub.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stinging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stinging. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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