"an acerbic tone piercing otherwise flowery prose""a barrage of acid comments""her acrid remarks make her many enemies""bitter words""blistering criticism""caustic jokes about political assassination, talk-show hosts and medical ethics""a sulfurous denunciation"
2. characterized by oppressive heat and humidity;
"the summer was sultry and oppressive""the stifling atmosphere""the sulfurous atmosphere preceding a thunderstorm"