acrid

Acrid is an English adjective used to describe a strong, unpleasant smell or taste that is sharp, biting, or caustic. It can also refer to a harsh, bitter quality in speech, behavior, or atmosphere. The term is commonly applied to fumes from burning substances, such as smoke or solvents, as well as to the acrid taste of certain foods or medicines. In a figurative sense, acrid describes criticism, wit, or rhetoric that is forcefully cutting or hostile.

Etymology traces acrid to Middle English acride, from Old French acride, from Latin acridus, derived from acer meaning sharp. The word has long been used to convey sensory irritation and displeasure.

Usage notes: Acrid is typically linked to sensory irritation of the eyes, nose, or throat and is not inherently dangerous, though it can be strongly disagreeable. In writing and discourse, acrid prose or acrid commentary signals a forceful, often abrasive critique and may imply hostility or severity.

Synonyms include pungent, sharp, caustic, and acrimonious, each carrying subtle nuances. Antonyms include mild, pleasant, and benign.

See also: odor and taste descriptions, sensory terminology, and related stylistic terms for rhetoric and literary critique.