caustic

noun
UK: /ˈkɔːstɪk/
US: /ˈkɑːstɪk/

  1. A substance, especially a strong alkali, that destroys or damages other substances.

    1. The drain cleaner is caustic and should be handled with care.
    2. Be careful, because the caustic nature of the chemical could damage the surface.

Synonyms

corrosive bitter sarcastic scathing
caustic adjective

  1. Able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action.

    1. This chemical is caustic.
    2. The caustic solution burned a hole in his shirt.

  2. Very critical and unkind.

    1. Her caustic remarks stung.
    2. The critic wrote a caustic review of the play, attacking every aspect.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "caustic" is /ˈkɔːstɪk/ in British English and /ˈkɑːstɪk/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "caustic": corrosive, bitter, sarcastic, scathing.

Example usage of "caustic": "The drain cleaner is caustic and should be handled with care.". More examples on the page.