noun
sting
STIHNG
noun
1
A sharp pain, or the puncture and injection of venom by an insect or animal.
"The bee sting on his arm swelled up quickly."
2
An undercover police operation designed to catch someone committing a crime.
"Detectives ran a sting to catch the counterfeiters in the act."
verb
1
To hurt someone by piercing them with a stinger, or to cause a sharp pain.
"The jellyfish stung her leg while she was swimming."
"His harsh words really stung."
How to Use Sting
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA sharp pain from a puncture (insect, insult), or a police trap operation.
Common pairings
bee sting
sting operation
sting of defeat
Word Forms
stung past tense, stang past tense, stings plural, stings singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “sting”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The bee _____ on his arm swelled up quickly.
Etymology
From Old English sting, related to a Germanic root shared with words describing a piercing thrust.