Asperity

Pronunciation: /əˈspɛrɪtiː/

Asperity (noun)

  1. a way of speaking that is rough or severe
  2. a rough or uneven part of a surface
  3. a difficult or unpleasant situation

Examples

  • The teacher spoke with asperity when correcting mistakes.
  • She answered the question with noticeable asperity.

Common collocations: speak with asperity, answer with asperity, asperity of the surface, feel the asperity, face asperities

Synonyms of Asperity

Formal

Neutral

Antonyms of Asperity

  • — describing a soft or mild quality
  • — describing a lack of roughness