vinegary

IPA/ˈvɪnɪɡəri/
IPA/ˈvɪnɪɡəri/

vinegary — adjective

  • vinegarypositive
  • more vinegarycomparative
  • most vinegarysuperlative

1. describes food or drink with a noticeably sharp, sour flavour or odour similar t

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes food or drink with a noticeably sharp, sour flavour or odour similar to that of vinegar — for instance, wine that has spoiled, or dressing that has too much vinegar.

Example

The pickles had a sharp, vinegary taste that made Apinya's mouth pucker.

collocation: vinegary taste

Ravindra sniffed the bottle and noticed a vinegary smell — the wine had gone bad.

collocation: vinegary smell

Common collocations
  • vinegary taste
  • vinegary smell
  • vinegary aroma
  • vinegary whiff
  • too vinegary
  • slightly vinegary
Synonyms
  • sour

    broader term; describes any acidic taste, not specifically vinegar-like

  • acidic

    more scientific or clinical; used for high-acid foods

  • tangy

    positive connotation; suggests a pleasantly sharp flavour

Antonyms
  • sweet

    the opposite taste profile

  • mild

    lacking sharpness or acidity

Usage Note

Often used to describe wine, salad dressing, pickles, or fermented foods. Can express criticism when applied to wine (the wine has spoiled) or a neutral description of intended sharpness in dressings or preserved foods.

Common Mistakes

The soup had a sharp vinegary taste, but it was delicious.' (as a pure negative)
The soup had a sharp vinegary tang that made it very enjoyable.
vinegary is not always negative; in some dishes a vinegary quality is intended and positive.

2. describes a person who behaves in an irritable, hostile, or sharply critical man

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a person who behaves in an irritable, hostile, or sharply critical manner — for example, a supervisor who constantly points out flaws in everything their team does.

Example

The elderly neighbour gave Felix a vinegary look when his football landed in her garden.

collocation: vinegary look

Karim's vinegary comments during the team meeting made everyone shift uncomfortably in their seats.

collocation: vinegary comments

Common collocations
  • vinegary look
  • vinegary comment
  • vinegary remark
  • vinegary tone
  • vinegary reply
  • vinegary attitude
Synonyms
  • sour

    broader and more common; can describe a sulky or grumpy mood

  • bitter

    implies deep-seated resentment rather than habitual sharpness

  • acerbic

    more formal; suggests sharp wit rather than mere irritability

  • caustic

    stronger; implies speech that is corrosive and hurtful

Antonyms
  • kind

    warm and gentle in manner

  • sweet

    pleasant and friendly in disposition

Usage Note

Primarily describes manner, tone of voice, facial expressions (look), or spoken remarks. Less common than 'sour' or 'bitter'; carries a specific comparison to the sharp, thin quality of vinegar. Not used for deep-seated anger or resentment — more for a habitual sharpness.

Common Mistakes

Grandma was vinegary about losing her wedding ring.' (confusing with sadness or grief)
Grandma's vinegary tone whenever the neighbours played music showed her irritable mood.
vinegary describes sharp, critical behaviour, not sadness or hurt feelings.
The vinegary sauce matched her vinegary personality.' (overextending metaphor)
Her vinegary remarks at dinner matched the sour look on her face.
avoid mixing the literal and figurative senses in the same sentence.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

These words all describe an unfriendly or critical manner, but each has a different shade of meaning. Sour suggests a sulky, grumpy mood — someone who is sour may be silently displeased rather than actively critical. Bitter implies resentment rooted in past hurt or disappointment, so it feels heavier than vinegary. Acerbic often has an intellectual or witty edge (an acerbic critic), while caustic carries a sense of deliberate hurtfulness — like acid burning. Vinegary is lighter and more specific: it compares a person's manner to the thin, sharp quality of vinegar, suggesting habitual irritability rather than deep anger. For example, a guest might make a vinegary remark about the temperature of the soup (petty criticism), but a bitter comment about a divorce settlement shows lasting resentment.

sour ↗bitter ↗acerbic ↗caustic ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Etymology

Old FrenchLatinEnglish

Formed from 'vinegar' (from Old French 'vinaigre', itself from 'vin' meaning wine and 'aigre' meaning sour) plus the adjective suffix '-y'. The literal meaning (tasting of vinegar) appeared in English by the early 1700s, and the figurative sense describing a person's sharp manner followed by the mid-1800s.

First known use

1730

1730, in the meaning defined at sense 1a