1
as in gouged
to charge (someone) too much for goods or services
a nightclub that's been stinging patrons for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheated
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
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Recent Examples of stung
The Nuggets have lost plenty of playoff games the past two springs, but few have stung like this.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Meyer acknowledged the logic behind preparing Nick Bosa for the NFL Draft but admitted the choice still stung as the Buckeyes chased a title.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Many hospital systems in Connecticut have stopped suing their patients over unpaid bills, stung by criticism about the harm caused by aggressive collection tactics.
—Noam N. Levey, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
People have reported severe reactions, including anaphylaxis, after being stung by the ant.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Anthropic leaks its code; Mercor stung by data breach.
—John Kell, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
Around 150 million people get stung by jellyfish each year around the world, per UCLA Health, and the Irukandji jellyfish stands out as the one to avoid at all costs.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
In Iowa, farmers have been stung by higher costs of fuel and fertilizer because of the war, and the leading Republican candidate to succeed GOP Senator Joni Ernst, Representative Ashley Hinson, has tied herself closely to Trump.
—Nancy Cook, Bloomberg, 7 Apr. 2026
Santos stung a volley from outside the box midway through the second half after juggling the ball with her knee, but Silkowitz dived to her right to push the ball wide of the post.
—Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Meyer acknowledged the logic behind preparing Nick Bosa for the NFL Draft but admitted the choice still stung as the Buckeyes chased a title.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Many hospital systems in Connecticut have stopped suing their patients over unpaid bills, stung by criticism about the harm caused by aggressive collection tactics.
—Noam N. Levey, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
People have reported severe reactions, including anaphylaxis, after being stung by the ant.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
Anthropic leaks its code; Mercor stung by data breach.
—John Kell, Fortune, 8 Apr. 2026
Around 150 million people get stung by jellyfish each year around the world, per UCLA Health, and the Irukandji jellyfish stands out as the one to avoid at all costs.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
In Iowa, farmers have been stung by higher costs of fuel and fertilizer because of the war, and the leading Republican candidate to succeed GOP Senator Joni Ernst, Representative Ashley Hinson, has tied herself closely to Trump.
—Nancy Cook, Bloomberg, 7 Apr. 2026
Santos stung a volley from outside the box midway through the second half after juggling the ball with her knee, but Silkowitz dived to her right to push the ball wide of the post.
—Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stung
Verb
-
Nobody likes being price gouged, whether at the gas pump, ticket purchase, or a rideshare.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Then thunder crashes and a hand with an open wound gets gouged open.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The reportedly yearlong relationship is notable in that, after their split in 2015, Stocking posted and deleted tweets saying the basketball player cheated, per The New York Post.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
This is the same team that cheated and got caught how many times, going back to Bill Belichick and golden boy Tom Brady (Deflategate)?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Domestic flights will also get surcharged.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Traditional paths to entry-level work, especially in tech, are already being squeezed as companies automate routine work.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Margins on low-cost airlines are always tight, and fuel is an outsized cost which means they’re already being squeezed hard by the energy shock.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The jury found that fans were overcharged for tickets as a direct result of this monopoly, paying higher fees for their tickets.—
Letitia James,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
-
On Wednesday, a New York federal jury found that Live Nation and Ticketmaster illegally operated as a monopoly and overcharged fans.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Every summer, stylish crowds congregate along France’s southeastern shores, seduced by the glamorous promise of the French Riviera, spending their days sipping overpriced cocktails at the high-end resorts that line its sandy beaches as if plucked straight from a Slim Aarons photo.—
Monica Mendal,
Vogue,
24 Apr. 2026
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In choosing Love, the Cardinals disregarded conventional wisdom that quality running backs can be plucked much later in the draft and at a much lower cost.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But that would lead to long lines of impatient and, let’s face it, rather demanding party guests snaking around the hotel (and potentially getting soaked, in Saturday’s dreadful weather).—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
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Between damp docks, muddy trails, and the occasional drizzle, they were quickly soaked and scuffed.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The president was uninjured and was hustled away.—
Collin Binkley,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
All of them were hustled out of sight.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stung.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stung. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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