bitter acceptance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bitter acceptance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone reluctantly comes to terms with an unpleasant reality or outcome. Example: "After months of fighting for a better outcome, she finally reached a point of bitter acceptance regarding the situation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

This was a bitter acceptance of what had been inevitable for weeks and weeks.

The New York Times - Sports

Currently, she's receiving a lot of questions about Europe's relocation policy, a deal agreed by European states – with bitter acceptance from some – to impose mandatory quotas of refugees to be resettled across the region.

The Guardian

Lowry's mother had hoped to be a concert pianist of renown, but had to settle for being an accompanist and teacher, before declining into that bitter acceptance of failure which awaits many a person whose ambition exceeds their genius.

The Guardian - Arts

It's evident that life has kicked around older brother Jerry Lee (Dorff) more than Frank HirschHis His every glance burns with bitter acceptance of his fate.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Scientific discovery is a slow burning process, which takes years of toil and grind before publication, maybe years of argument (in palaeontology, sometimes bitter feuds) before acceptance.

The Guardian - Opinion

There isn't much merit in chasing the acceptance of bitter teenagers, but it's impossible to avoid the reality that hints of this mentality run right through gaming.

Vice

It isn't likely to get much traction, but is in some small measure indicative of many Hungarians' shrugging acceptance of homophobic insults and bitter feelings about gay visibility.

The New York Times

Similarly, the bitter taste in slender leaf constrained its acceptance for consumption in urban dwellers with a large household size (Gido et al. 2017).

Agricultural and Food Economics

This study examined the association between genetic variation in taste and acceptance for sweet, high-fat, and bitter foods and beverages.

Journal of the American Dietetic Association

Further, recent evidence suggests that variation in bitter taste receptor genotype may be related to medication acceptance among children.

BMC Pediatrics

Jordan: Insulted coaches, teammates, opposing players and anyone who ever may have "wronged him" in a harsh, negative toned and oddly bitter-for-such-a-successful guy hall of fame acceptance speech.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "bitter acceptance" when you want to convey a sense of reluctant agreement or resignation to an unpleasant or unfavorable situation. It effectively communicates both the acknowledgement and the negative emotions associated with it.

Common error

Avoid using "bitter acceptance" when a more neutral term like "acceptance" or "acknowledgement" suffices. The "bitter" component adds a specific emotional weight that should only be used when appropriate to the context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bitter acceptance" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes a state of mind characterized by reluctantly coming to terms with a negative or undesirable situation. As Ludwig AI suggests, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "bitter acceptance" is a grammatically correct noun phrase that describes a reluctant or resentful agreement with an undesirable situation. As indicated by Ludwig, this expression is more suitable for neutral and descriptive contexts, particularly within News & Media. While "acceptance" alone conveys a neutral acknowledgement, "bitter acceptance" adds an emotional weight by showing a resigned or unhappy agreement. Consider related phrases like "grim acceptance" or "reluctant agreement" to convey similar meanings with slight variations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

bitter resignation

Swaps the order of words, keeping the same sentiment but shifting emphasis.

grim acceptance

Replaces 'bitter' with 'grim', maintaining a similar sense of negativity and resignation.

resigned acceptance

Emphasizes the act of giving in or yielding to a situation without necessarily implying bitterness.

resigned acknowledgement

Highlights the act of recognizing something, usually negative, with a sense of giving up.

grudging acquiescence

Highlights the unwillingness or reluctance in agreeing to something.

reluctant agreement

Focuses on the agreement aspect, but with hesitation.

painful realization

Shifts the focus to the realization of something negative rather than acceptance.

unhappy compromise

Emphasizes the compromise aspect, where neither party is fully satisfied.

cynical acceptance

Suggests an acceptance tinged with skepticism or a lack of faith.

forced compliance

Implies that the acceptance is not genuine but compelled by external forces.

FAQs

How is "bitter acceptance" different from simple acceptance?

"Acceptance" implies a neutral acknowledgment, whereas "bitter acceptance" suggests reluctantly coming to terms with something unpleasant, tinged with resentment or disappointment. It adds an emotional layer that simple acceptance lacks.

What are some alternatives to using "bitter acceptance"?

Depending on the specific nuance you want to convey, you could use alternatives like "grim acceptance", "reluctant agreement", or "resigned acceptance".

In what situations is it appropriate to use the phrase "bitter acceptance"?

Use "bitter acceptance" when describing situations where someone acknowledges an unfavorable reality but does so with feelings of disappointment, resentment, or resignation, often after a period of resistance or struggle.

Can "bitter acceptance" be used in a positive context?

No, "bitter acceptance" typically carries negative connotations. It describes a reluctant or resentful agreement to something unpleasant. Using it in a positive context would be contradictory.