embittered

1.形容詞C2

釋義

feeling deeply angry and unhappy because repeated unfair treatment, loss, or disappointment has stayed with you for a long time

例句

Hao sounded embittered after the company ignored his injury claim for months.

sound + embittered after long unfair treatment

After years in the camp, Esteban grew embittered by every promise of release.

grow embittered by + repeated disappointment

同義詞

bitter
broader and more common; can describe resentment without the same sense of long unfair treatment shaping the person
resentful
focuses more directly on a grudge against someone or something specific
cynical
shifts toward distrust of people or systems rather than hurt that has hardened into resentment

反義詞

forgiving
able to let go of the hurt instead of holding on to resentment
hopeful
still expecting improvement instead of being hardened by disappointment

文法句型

be embittered by + noun

be embittered over + noun

grow/become embittered after + event

用法筆記

Usually describes a feeling that has built up over time, not a brief reaction to one small problem. It often appears with 'by' or 'over' to name the experience that caused the resentment.

常見錯誤

❌I felt embittered because the bus was late.

✅I felt annoyed because the bus was late.

💡embittered suggests deep, lasting resentment, not a brief everyday irritation.

❌The tea is embittered.

✅The tea is bitter.' / 'The tea has turned bitter.

💡embittered usually describes a person's emotional state, not the taste of food or drink.

1.動詞及物C2

釋義

to make someone carry a lasting sense of angry unfairness that does not fade quickly

例句

Years of broken pay deals embittered Tunde against the union leaders.

embitter + somebody against + group

The cruel headlines embittered Linh and pushed the young teacher away from politics.

同義詞

anger
broader and often shorter-lived; it does not necessarily imply a lasting grudge
alienate
focuses on making someone feel cut off or distant, not specifically bitter
sour
more informal; often used for relationships or moods turning bad

反義詞

reconcile
helps someone make peace with the hurt instead of holding resentment
hearten
makes someone feel more hopeful rather than more bitter

文法句型

embitter + somebody

be embittered by + noun

embitter + somebody against + person/group

用法筆記

Commonly used for resentment created by repeated injustice, betrayal, or loss, often in formal writing. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense changes a person's feelings, while sense 2 changes the taste of food or drink.

常見錯誤

❌The noisy queue embittered me for five minutes.

✅The noisy queue annoyed me for five minutes.

💡embitter implies a deeper, more lasting sense of grievance than a short irritation.

❌The burnt onions embittered the soup.

✅The burnt onions made the soup bitter.

💡use sense 2 for taste; this sense is about making people resentful.

2.動詞及物C2

釋義

to give food or drink a bitter taste, or to make that bitter taste stronger

例句

Too much orange peel embittered the jam before it had cooled.

ingredient + embittered + food

The burned garlic embittered Tariq's soup within a few minutes.

同義詞

bitter
the plain everyday verb for making something taste bitter
taint
broader; can spoil a flavour without specifically adding bitterness

反義詞

sweeten
adds sweetness or makes the flavour less bitter
mellow
makes a strong taste softer and less sharp

文法句型

embitter + food/drink

ingredient + embittered + dish

process + embittered + liquid

用法筆記

This is the older physical sense and is now much rarer than the emotional sense. It usually appears in literary, historical, or food-writing contexts where the object is a drink, sauce, jam, or similar substance.

常見錯誤

❌The long lawsuit embittered her tea.

✅The long lawsuit embittered her.' / 'The long brewing made her tea bitter.

💡use this sense for taste, not for a person's emotions.

❌The lemon embittered the sauce.

✅The lemon made the sauce sour.

💡embitter refers to bitterness, not to a sour or acidic taste.

embittered

embittered — adjective

1. feeling deeply angry and unhappy because repeated unfair treatment, loss, or dis

文法句型

用法筆記

常見錯誤

embittered — verb

1. to make someone carry a lasting sense of angry unfairness that does not fade qui

文法句型

用法筆記

常見錯誤

2. to give food or drink a bitter taste, or to make that bitter taste stronger

文法句型

用法筆記

常見錯誤