ätzend
awful
Colloquial for very bad, annoying, or unpleasant.
EXAMPLE
Ich finde dieses kalte, regnerische Wetter einfach nur ätzend.
I think this cold, rainy weather is just awful.
ätzend
awful / corrosive
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Meanings
ätzend
corrosive
In chemistry, the property of a substance that destroys or attacks organic tissue or other materials through a chemical reaction; corrosive.
EXAMPLE
Beim Umgang mit der ätzenden Säure ist das Tragen von Schutzhandschuhen Pflicht.
When handling the corrosive acid, wearing protective gloves is mandatory.
Usage tips
Word structure
'Ätzend' (corrosive/awful) is the present participle of the verb 'ätzen' (to destroy something chemically). The colloquial meaning is a metaphor: a situation is so unpleasant that it 'destroys' your good mood.
EXAMPLE
Vorsicht, diese Chemikalie ätzt die Haut!
Careful, this chemical corrodes the skin!
Context clue
The two meanings are easy to distinguish. In everyday language, 'ätzend' (awful/annoying) describes an annoying situation or person. In scientific or technical contexts (e.g., chemistry, warning labels), the literal, dangerous property is meant.
EXAMPLE
Ich hatte heute einen total ätzenden Tag im Büro.
I had a totally awful day at the office today.
Register: colloquial language
This meaning of 'ätzend' (awful/annoying) clearly belongs to colloquial language. You use it among friends or in informal situations, but not in formal texts or conversations.
EXAMPLE
Dass der Zug ausfällt, ist echt ätzend.
The fact that the train is canceled is really awful.
Compare with
ätzend vs nervig
annoying
Both words describe a situation as unpleasant or annoying. Nervig is the more general and usually milder term, while ätzend is colloquial, more casual, and often sounds considerably harsher. For ordinary annoyance, nervig fits; for particularly strong frustration, ätzend may have the more appropriate effect.
ätzend
Die ständigen Werbeanrufe sind heute echt ätzend.
The constant advertising calls are really awful today.
nervig
Die ständigen Werbeanrufe sind wirklich nervig.
The constant advertising calls are really annoying.
In real life
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