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edged

edged

7.2
Harsh and hurtful in speech or writing
  • adjective
  • /ɛdʒd/
translation icon : cortante
  • Her hard-edged remarks left everyone in the room feeling uncomfortable.
  • hard-edged

It's about the humility, the patience, the immersion, and the hard edged hope that's necessary for tackling gigantic problems.

Examples

  • It's about the humility, the patience, the immersion, and the hard edged hope that's necessary for tackling gigantic problems.

  • The article offered hard-edged criticism of the government's policies.

  • The film's hard-edged humor was both entertaining and unsettling.

Synonyms

sharp
vsedged
46 4.2

Harsh critical words or actions that hurt others

is more openly hurtful and personal than that direct criticism
barbed
vsedged
1 6.7

Words said to hurt or criticize someone

is similar but shows a broader harshness rather than clear intent to wound
sharp-worded
vsedged
7.1

Saying harsh words to criticize someone or something

is more meant to wound and hurt than that severe language
cutting
vsedged
5.2

Very hurtful in words, or sharply cold in weather

is more intensely hurtful and critical than those cruel words
stinging
vsedged
6.3

Harsh or hurtful in a way that makes someone feel upset

is equally harsh but stresses direct blame more than emotional harm
sharpish
vsedged
  • UK
7.4

A little rude and short in the way someone speaks

is more sharply biting and deliberately hurtful than that milder tone

Antonyms

235 1.0

Kind and not strong in action, sound, or touch

Compounds

8.7

Thick paper with a rough, uneven edge like handmade paper

deckle-edged sheet
  • Specialized
9.7

A sheet of paper with rough, uneven edges made by hand

gilt-edged
  • Specialized
7.5

Very high quality and reliable, often used to describe safe investments

A leaf with sharp points along its edge that can scratch

6.6

A remark that is harsh and meant to hurt someone's feelings

How Harsh

vitriolic
  • Offensive
10 9.3
caustic
9 7.4
edged
7.2
harsh
289 2.8
critical
210 3.8

Surface Forms

edged positive

Morphology

edged = edge (semi-transparent) = edge + ed

This adjectival sense is a figurative extension ('having a cutting edge' → 'harsh, biting'); the relation is metaphorical and may not be immediately obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Edged comes from edge, which carried the idea of 'sharpness' or 'bite'. So calling speech edged means it is 'sharp' or hurtful in tone, like words that cut.