# embittered

/ɛmˈbɪtɝd/ (US) · /ɛmbˈɪtəd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/embittered
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

feeling angry and hurt for a long time because life has treated you unfairly.

For teachers: made resentful or cynical by prolonged unfair treatment, disappointment, or suffering. Often describes a lasting emotional state rather than momentary anger.

## Examples

- Years of unfair criticism leave him embittered.
- After losing her job unfairly, she feels embittered toward the company she served for ten years.
- Decades after the dispute, the once hopeful activist remains embittered, convinced that compromise only rewards those who never sacrificed anything.

## Synonyms

bitter, resentful, aggrieved

## Antonyms

forgiving, content, happy

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.