Vitriolic \Vit`ri*ol"ic\, a. [Cf. F. vitriolique.]

1. (Chem.) Of or pertaining to vitriol; derived from, or resembling, vitriol; vitriolous; as, a vitriolic taste. Cf. Vitriol. [1913 Webster]

2. Biting, bitter or caustic; having or expressing strong and unpleasantly negative feelings; -- of speech or feelings; the vitriolic denunciations of opponents by partisan columnists. [PJC]

Vitriolic acid (Old Chem.),
   (a) sulphuric acid. See Vitriol
   (b) . [Colloq.]

[1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

64 Moby Thesaurus words for "vitriolic": acerbic, acid, acidulous, acrid, acrimonious, antagonistic, antipathetic, asperous, astringent, belligerent, biting, bitter, caustic, clashing, colliding, conflicting, cutting, despiteful, double-edged, edged, envenomed, escharotic, fierce, full of hate, harsh, hateful, hostile, incisive, irritating, keen, malevolent, malicious, malignant, mordacious, mordant, nose-tickling, penetrating, piercing, piquant, poignant, pungent, quarrelsome, rancorous, repugnant, rigorous, rough, scathing, set against, severe, sharp, sore, sour, spiteful, stabbing, stinging, strident, stringent, tart, trenchant, vehement, venenate, venomous, violent, virulent

Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
 

vitriolic adj
1: harsh or corrosive in tone; "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" [syn: acerb, acerbic, acid, acrid, bitter, blistering, caustic, sulfurous, sulphurous, venomous, virulent]
2: of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action [syn: caustic, corrosive, erosive]

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
 

Vitriolic \Vit`ri*ol"ic\, a. [Cf. F. vitriolique.]

(Chem.) Of or pertaining to vitriol; derived from, or resembling, vitriol; vitriolous; as, a vitriolic taste. Cf. Vitriol.

Vitriolic acid (Old Chem.),
   (a) sulphuric acid. See Vitriol
   (b) . [Colloq.]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)