bitter
gb/bˈɪtɚ/ us/bˈɪtɚ/
A2
Anglais
~ 1700
Sens
0 sens
adjective
A2
property
1
having a sharp, unpleasant taste
Tasting strong and not sweet, like coffee without sugar or dark chocolate.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] tastes/seems bitter
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'bitter' with 'sour', but sour is acidic like lemon, while bitter is more harsh and sharp like black coffee.
Synonymes
sharp (Used for tastes that are strong and intense, though not always unpleasant.)
Antonymes
sweet (Sweet is the opposite in taste profile, associated with sugar and pleasantness.)
Collocations
bitter taste
|bitter coffee
|bitter chocolate
|bitter flavor
Thèmes
food
|sensory
|daily life
|food_drink
|body
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The medicine had a bitter taste that lingered in my mouth.
- I prefer bitter chocolate to milk chocolate.
- The beer was too bitter for my liking.
- Her tea turned bitter after steeping too long.
Exemples pédagogiques
- This coffee is very bitter.
- Dark chocolate can taste bitter.
- The soup is bitter because of the herbs.
adjective
B1
state
2
feeling deep anger or resentment
Feeling angry and upset because you think something is unfair.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] feels/is bitter about [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse 'bitter' with 'upset'—'bitter' implies a longer-lasting resentment.
Synonymes
resentful (Focuses on the feeling of unfair treatment and lingering anger.)
Antonymes
forgiving (Willing to let go of anger and resentment, unlike 'bitter'.)
Collocations
bitter argument
|bitter feelings
|bitter dispute
|bitter enemy
Thèmes
emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- He was still bitter about losing the promotion.
- Their divorce ended in a bitter legal battle.
- She spoke with a bitter tone about her former boss.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She is bitter about her job loss.
- He felt bitter after the game.
- They had a bitter fight.
adjective
B1
property
3
extremely cold and unpleasant
Very cold and uncomfortable.
Schéma d’usage :
bitter [wind/cold/winter]
Synonymes
freezing (Very cold; more informal and common in everyday speech.)
Antonymes
mild (Refers to pleasantly warm or not extreme weather, opposite of 'bitter' in this sense.)
Collocations
bitter cold
|bitter wind
|bitter winter
Thèmes
weather
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- We walked home through the bitter wind.
- It was a bitterly cold night in January.
- The hikers faced bitter conditions on the mountain.
Exemples pédagogiques
- It is bitter outside today.
- The wind is bitter and strong.
- We had a bitter winter last year.
Nom
B2
entity
4
a type of strong-tasting beer
A British beer with a strong taste from hops.
Synonymes
ale (A general term for a type of beer; 'bitter' is a specific variety.)
Collocations
pint of bitter
|drink bitter
Thèmes
food
|drink
|food_drink
|daily_life
Exemples
- He ordered a pint of bitter at the pub.
- Bitter is popular in many English pubs.
- I prefer lager to bitter.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He drinks bitter at the pub.
- I do not like bitter.
- My father likes bitter beer.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
bitter
API
GB/bˈɪtɚ/
US/bˈɪtɚ/
Syllabes et accentuation
bit - ter (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (bit)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: bitter
- Comparative: bitterer
- Superlative: bitterest
Famille de mots
Forms
bitterer
adjective
bitterest
adjective
Core family
bitterly
adverb B2
bitterness
noun B2
Related words
embitter
verb
embittered
adjective
bittersweet
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
sweet
adjective A1
Expressions
bitter end
1/bˈɪtɚ ˈɛnd/
idiom
the very end of something unpleasant
Until the very last part of something hard or unpleasant.
Exemples
- They fought to the bitter end.
- I stayed with the project until the bitter end.
leave a bitter taste in one's mouth
1/lˈiv ə bˈɪtɚ tˈeɪst ˈɪn wˈʌnz mˈaʊθ/
idiom
cause lasting bad feelings about something
To make someone feel bad or unhappy after something happens.
Exemples
- The unfair decision left a bitter taste in her mouth.
- His rude comments left a bitter taste in my mouth.
sweet and bitter
1/swˈit ˈænd bˈɪtɚ/
fixed phrase
both pleasant and unpleasant at once
Having good parts and bad parts at the same time.
Exemples
- Graduating was sweet and bitter for her—she was happy but sad to leave friends.
- The ending was sweet and bitter.