vitriolic

Adjective
Synonyms: acerbacerbicacidacridbitterblisteringcausticsulfuroussulphurousvirulentcorrosiveerosive

WordNet 3.0

Adjective (2)

  1. harsh or corrosive in tone“an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose”“a barrage of acid comments”“her acrid remarks make her many enemies”“bitter words”“blistering criticism”“caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics”“a sulfurous denunciation”“a vitriolic critique”Synonyms: acerbacerbicacidacridbitterblisteringcausticsulfuroussulphurousvirulent
  2. of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical actionSynonyms: causticcorrosiveerosivemordant
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Vitriolic \Vit`ri*ol"ic\, a. [Cf. F. vitriolique.]

1.(Chem.) Of or pertaining to vitriol; derived from, or resembling, vitriol; vitriolous; as, a vitriolic taste. Cf. Vitriol. [1913 Webster]

2.Biting, bitter or caustic; having or expressing strong and unpleasantly negative feelings; -- of speech or feelings; the vitriolic denunciations of opponents by partisan columnists. [PJC]

Vitriolic acid (Old Chem.), (a) sulphuric acid. See Vitriol (b) . [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

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