sting
32
4.2
- noun
- /stɪŋ/
- One hundred fifty years later, China still feels the sting of this defeat.
- feel the sting
- take the sting out
- lose its sting
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Watch on YouTubeSuzanne had erased the sting of my teacher's cruelty.
- Suzanne had erased the sting of my teacher's cruelty.
- Now, when we leave healthy relationships, we may feel a sting, we may miss the person.
- Listen, I can't lift all of the hurt, but I can try and lift the sting of the confusion.
- The second thing is how can I take feedback without the sting?
- The shame, the guilt, the slideshow lost its sting.
- Some golden children will really sit with the sting of that and feel that guilt.
- I was reared in second class citizenship and have known the sting of humiliation in countless days of my life.
- And the sting of others losing lots was real.
- And and on the other hand, you know, it takes the sting out of it a bit because you see how just mind numbingly universal death is.
Examples
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Of course, my bold proclamations didn't diminish the sting of Nixon's departure.
Fiction book (2002) -
Oh, to be young, and to feel love's keen sting.
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And the sting of others losing lots was real.
-
Have they felt the sting of her tears?
-
Some golden children will really sit with the sting of that and feel that guilt.
-
He's going to feel the sting of our hate.
-
There was a little sting of melancholy at the edges of her heart, but mostly she felt joy.
Fiction book (1999) -
Such naive trust commonly leads to disappointment, with the extra sting of shame at having been duped.
Academic text (2004) -
"That's true," Ella said, and her smile took the sting out of Candy's remark.
Fiction book (1990) -
I couldn't help but feel the sting of being left out when he talked about that.
Synonyms
149
1.0
A feeling of emotional or physical pain
139
4.5
A deep, painful feeling of regret and guilt after doing something wrong
139
3.9
A very strong physical or mental pain
79
6.8
A very strong, painful feeling of worry or sadness
29
5.6
A sudden sharp pain that is often a quick feeling of guilt or sadness
15
3.3
A sudden strong feeling of hurt in one small part of the body
7
3.5
A sudden sharp feeling, often of pain or strong emotion
2
6.1
A sudden sharp feeling of regret about something you did or did not do
1
5.0
A sudden sharp feeling of guilt
1
3.2
A sudden, strong, short pain like a small prick
1
2.9
A hurt feeling from disappointment, insult, or loss
1
7.0
A sudden strong feeling of being sorry for something you did
Antonyms
Idioms
Compounds
How Hurtful
Surface Forms
Etymology
Sting for emotional pain comes from the same old root stingan meaning 'to prick', so a harsh word can 'prick' your feelings and leave a sharp hurt.