bitterly remember

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "bitterly remember" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when expressing a strong emotional recollection of a past event that was painful or unpleasant. Example: "As she looked through the old photographs, she began to bitterly remember the days when they were all together, laughing and carefree."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

They bitterly remember the Uruguay round, whose benefits went mostly to the rich.

The Economist

Yet most German fans will approach the tournament with one foot firmly in the past as they bitterly remember a similar situation 12 years ago, and how far the team has come.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Civil wars are so bitterly remembered because of the slaughter of civilians.

The Guardian - Opinion

"My daughters were crying, asking me who was the culprit," Mr. Hlongwa, 46, said bitterly, remembering that rainy day in February.

The New York Times

He bitterly remembers fleeing his home in 1979, when Chinese troops stormed across the border in a brief if bloody war.Mr Luyen's resentment prevails across much of Vietnam these days.

The Economist

That would make it the largest demonstration since 1995, when two American Marines and a Navy sailor were arrested over the rape of a 12-year-old girl, an episode that shook the tight military alliance between the United States and Japan and is still bitterly remembered by many Okinawans.

The New York Times

Bailey bitterly remembers that the first he heard of Northwestern's decision to move to a full investigation was from a reporter for the Chicago Tribune.

Archives of Sexual Behavior

She tries to free Sawyer, but he bitterly refuses, remembering Karl's escape and bloody capture.

Wikipedia

And there is probably no better place to chart that evolution than in this same state that provided Mr. Gore with a brutal lesson in presidential politics that he and his friends remember bitterly to this day.

The New York Times

In all likelihood, some of the Michiganders cheering on Trump this week were a few of the lucky people who had those old policies ― and who remember, bitterly, President Barack Obama's promise that "if you like your plan, you can keep it".

Huffington Post

Arendt's concept has become so famous that it is hard to remember how bitterly controversial it was when she first used it.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "bitterly remember" to convey a strong sense of resentment or regret when recalling past events. Ensure the context makes it clear that the memory is a source of ongoing negative emotion.

Common error

Avoid using "bitterly remember" when a more neutral term like "recall" or "remember" would be more appropriate. Overusing it can make your writing sound overly dramatic or biased.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bitterly remember" functions as an adverbial modifier followed by a verb. It emphasizes the intense negative emotion associated with the act of remembering. As demonstrated by Ludwig, this construction is used to highlight the painful or resentful nature of a recollection.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Wiki

17%

Science

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "bitterly remember" is a way to express the act of recalling something with a strong negative emotion, such as resentment or regret. While grammatically correct, Ludwig highlights that its usage is relatively rare but primarily found in news and media contexts. The most effective use of this phrase lies in conveying a palpable sense of lingering negative feelings about a past event. When writing, remember to reserve "bitterly remember" for situations where the memory genuinely evokes strong displeasure, avoiding its overuse to maintain impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

resentfully recall

This alternative emphasizes the feeling of resentment associated with the memory.

acrimoniously recollect

This emphasizes the bitterness and sharpness of the memory.

painfully reminisce

This focuses on the painful aspect of remembering.

ruefully look back on

This emphasizes the regret and sorrow associated with the past event.

sorrowfully remember

This highlights the sadness felt when remembering.

regretfully think back to

This underscores the feeling of regret connected to the memory.

vindictively recall

This phrase is a semantically related alternative which stresses the vengeful aspect when remembering an event.

distressingly remember

This alternative emphasizes the distressing nature of the memory.

unhappily remember

This phrase emphasizes the unhappiness related to an event when is brought back into someone's memory.

with great displeasure remember

This phrase is a semantically related alternative which highlights the negative feelings felt when remembering an event.

FAQs

What does "bitterly remember" mean?

The phrase "bitterly remember" means to recall something with strong feelings of sadness, resentment, or regret. It suggests the memory is painful or unpleasant.

How can I use "bitterly remember" in a sentence?

You can use "bitterly remember" to describe someone's strong negative feelings about a past event. For example: "They "resentfully recall" the economic crisis and the hardships it caused."

What are some alternatives to "bitterly remember"?

Alternatives include "painfully reminisce", "regretfully think back to", or "ruefully look back on". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "bitterly remember" or "sadly remember"?

"Bitterly remember" implies a stronger sense of resentment or anger than "sadly remember", which focuses more on sorrow. Choose the phrase that best reflects the emotional tone you want to convey.