sting

verb
UK: /stɪŋ/
US: /stɪŋ/

  1. To prick or wound with a sharp-pointed structure or object, often injecting a poisonous substance.

    1. Bees sting when they feel threatened to protect their hive from danger. [ ] [ ]
    2. The jellyfish sting can be painful, so it's best to avoid them in the water. [ ] [ ]

  2. To cause sharp, but usually temporary, pain.

    1. The cold wind can sting your face in winter if you are not careful. [ ] [ ]
    2. Tears stung her eyes as she chopped the onions for the evening's stew. [ ] [ ]

  3. To cheat or defraud someone, especially by overcharging.

    1. The shop owner tried to sting me by charging double the normal price. [ ] [ ]
    2. Tourists often feel like they've been stung when they pay for souvenirs. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

prick smart swindle wound defraud hurt bite plot trick cheat operation
sting noun

  1. A wound or mark caused by stinging.

    1. I got a bee sting on my arm while I was gardening in the yard. [ ] [ ]
    2. The doctor examined the insect sting to make sure it wasn't infected. [ ] [ ]

  2. A sharp, smarting pain.

    1. She felt the sting of the antiseptic on her cut from the kitchen knife. [ ] [ ]
    2. There was a sting of disappointment when they lost the final game. [ ] [ ]

  3. A clever operation, especially one involving deception.

    1. The police conducted a sting operation to catch the criminals red-handed. [ ] [ ]
    2. The FBI set up a sting to arrest the corrupt politicians that year. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "sting" in English means: To prick or wound with a sharp-pointed structure or object, often injecting a poisonous substance., To cause sharp, but usually temporary, pain., To cheat or defraud someone, especially by overcharging..

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

Synonyms for "sting": prick, smart, swindle, wound, defraud, hurt, bite, plot, trick, cheat, operation.

Example usage of "sting": "Bees sting when they feel threatened to protect their hive from danger.". More examples on the page.