stinging
/ˈstɪŋɪŋ/
noun
- A sharp, painful sensation or series of such sensations.
- The stingings from the jellyfish lasted for hours.
- He felt a stinging in his eyes from the smoke.
- The antiseptic caused a brief stinging on the cut.
adjective
- Causing a sharp, painful sensation like a sting.
- The cold water gave a stinging shock to his skin.
- The wind carried stinging sand that hit our faces.
- He felt a stinging pain in his hand after touching the hot pan.
- Harshly critical or hurtful; causing emotional pain.
- His stinging words left her in tears.
- She received a stinging rebuke from her boss for being late.
- The critic's stinging review made the author reconsider his work.