I got a nasty sting from a wasp.
Source: tatoeba (51983)
Sting
/stɪŋ/
Synonyms for "sting" (280 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (56)
Strong matches (84)
chouse out ofclipcogcog the dicecome home toconconvulsecozencribcrucifycuspcutcut updartdefrauddiddledirection finderdistressdo indo out of
Show 50 more words
drilledgeeuchreexcruciateexploitfangfesterfiercenessfinaglefireflamfleeceflimflamflogfobfretfudgegadgadflygallgive offensegive paingive umbragegnawgo deepgo through onegoadgougegrategrievegrindgripgripegullgypharrowharshnesshavehave an edgehocushocus-pocushold uphurthurt the feelingsinflameinflict paininjureinstrumentirritateitch
Noun(12 words)
Verb(2 words)
Related words (140)
keennesskill by incheslaceratelashmartyrmartyrizemeltmelt the heartmordacitymordancymovemucromulctnebneedlenettlenibnipnudgeoffend
Show 90 more words
outrageoverchargeoverpriceovertaxoxgoadpack the dealpainparesthesiapenetratepiercepigeonpinchpins and needlespoignancypointpokepractice fraud uponprickpricklepricklespricklingprodprofiteerprolong the agonyput to torturerackrampranklerasprigorrip offrobrookroughnessrowelrubscamscratchscrewsell gold bricksseverityshaftsharpnessshaveshortchangeskinsmartsmartingsnakebitesoaksoftenspurstabstack the cardsstickstimulatestingerstingingstirstridencystringencysurchargeswindletake a divetangtartnessteeththimblerigthrillthrow a fighttingletinglingtiptormenttorturetouchtouch a chordtrenchancytweaktwisttwist the knifeurticationvehemencevictimizeviolencevirulencewhipwhiplashwoundwring
Noun(21 words)
nettlesnettlingpangpangspiercepinpricksprickprickingprickspungencysetupsharp painsharpnesssmartssting operationstingingstinging sensationtraptwingestwinging
Show 1 more word
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: acerbity, ache, acidity, acridity, acrimony.
- Sentence evidence is available for sting, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, wordnet, opengloss, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "sting".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "sting"
Keep "sting" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "sting" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "sting", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "sting" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
29 entriesShowing 16 of 29 words.
More specific
12 entriesbee stingbiting remarkcaustic remarkdrug stingfraud stinghumiliation stingjellyfish stingprostitution stingrejection stingscorpion stingsharp rebukewasp sting
Collocations
8 entriesbee stingsting of betrayalsting of criticismsting operationsting someonesting with a needlestinging painwasp sting
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriessimilar
1 entriesTranslations
33 translations across 22 languages.
Afrikaans
1 entries- steek verb (to hurt)
Albanian
1 entries- pickoj verb (to hurt)
Arabic
1 entries- طَعَنَ verb (to hurt)
Czech
3 entries- bodnout verb (to hurt)
- kousnout verb (to hurt)
- píchnout verb (to hurt)
Esperanto
1 entries- piki verb (to hurt)
Finnish
3 entries- poltinkarva noun (stinging hair of a plant)
- pistää verb (to hurt)
- purra verb (to hurt)
Galician
1 entries- aferretar verb (to hurt)
German
1 entries- stechen verb (to hurt)
Greek
1 entries- τσιμπάω verb (to hurt)
Latin
1 entries- pungō verb (to hurt)
Latvian
1 entries- dzelt verb (to hurt)
Māori
1 entries- nanamu verb (to hurt)
Norman
1 entries- pitchi verb (to hurt)
Ottoman Turkish
1 entries- صوقمق verb (to hurt)
Polish
2 entries- użądlić verb (to hurt)
- żądlić verb (to hurt)
Quechua
1 entries- wach'iy verb (to hurt)
Romanian
1 entries- împunge verb (to hurt)
Russian
4 entries- боле́ть verb (to hurt)
- испы́тывать боль verb (to hurt)
- причиня́ть боль verb (to hurt)
- чу́вствовать боль verb (to hurt)
Spanish
3 entries- arder verb (to hurt)
- picar verb (to hurt)
- pinchar verb (to hurt)
Tagalog
1 entries- nasakitan verb (to hurt)
Turkish
2 entries- sokmak verb (to hurt)
- ısırmak verb (to hurt)
Welsh
1 entries- blew pigog noun (stinging hair of a plant)
Sample sentences
27 total sentences available.
Do those insects sting?
Source: tatoeba (67943)
I got a bee sting.
Source: tatoeba (321078)
Do these insects sting?
Source: tatoeba (453903)
Showing 4 of 27 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "sting"?
Closest matches include acerbity, ache, acidity, acridity, acrimony.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "sting"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.