1 biting | Definition of biting

biting

adjective
bit·​ing | \ ˈbÄ«-tiÅ‹ How to pronounce biting (audio) \

Definition of biting

: having the power to bite a biting wind especially : able to grip and impress deeply a biting wit

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Other Words from biting

bitingly \ ˈbÄ«-​tiÅ‹-​lÄ“ How to pronounce bitingly (audio) \ adverb

Examples of biting in a Sentence

a biting wind that only the toughest football fans were willing to endure the biting comments by the popular girls about the new kid in class

Recent Examples on the Web

The Hanoi talks broke down after Kim demanded that the most biting sanctions be dropped, in return for the dismantling of North Korea’s nuclear complex in Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang. Choe Sang-hun, BostonGlobe.com, "New North Korean missile sends angry message to South Korea’s president," 26 July 2019 The Hanoi talks broke down after Mr. Kim demanded that the most biting sanctions be dropped, in return for the dismantling of North Korea’s nuclear complex in Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang. Choe Sang-hun, New York Times, "New North Korean Missile Comes With Angry Message to South Korea’s President," 26 July 2019 Darius is the holder of the most unexpected lines and the most biting commentary. Denise Coffey, courant.com, "‘Savannah Sipping Society’ A Performance To Savor," 17 June 2019 He has also been accused of being a dirty player, and is infamous for three biting incidents. Michelle Kaufman, miamiherald, "Barcelona’s Luis Suarez could be headed to David Beckham’s Inter Miami. Here is why," 4 June 2019 While the New Jersey native is mostly known for her biting humor, Good Girls presents a different side of the actress, allowing her to show off her dramatic chops and giving audiences an entirely new appreciation for her talent. Kellee Terrell, Harper's BAZAAR, "Retta Wants Hollywood to Know She's Ready to Play the Femme Fatale," 11 Apr. 2019 Trump calling them, quote, the most biting sanctions ever imposed, and warning that country doing business with Tehran will not be doing business with the United States. Fox News, "The unhinged left," 8 Aug. 2018 For Russia, the increasingly robust alliance with China is particularly important in light of the strained relations with the U.S. and its allies and the looming threat of more biting U.S. sanctions. Fox News, "Putin attends Russia-China war games," 13 Sep. 2018 Reindeer once gathered on these icy patches in the later summer months to escape biting insects, and from the late Stone Age to the Middle Ages, hunters followed. Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Climate change melting pre-Viking artifacts out of Norway’s glaciers," 24 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'biting.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of biting

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for biting

biting

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of biting

: unpleasantly cold
: having a sharply critical and often clever quality

biting

adjective
bit·​ing | \ ˈbÄ«-tiÅ‹ How to pronounce biting (audio) \

Kids Definition of biting

: causing intense discomfort It was cold, bleak, biting weather …— Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

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More from Merriam-Webster on biting

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with biting

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for biting

Spanish Central: Translation of biting

Nglish: Translation of biting for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of biting for Arabic Speakers