to become embittered / to embitter
Loading your saved state.
to become embittered
To become inwardly hard, cynical, and hostile toward people because of disappointments, injustice, or suffering.
Nach dem Verlust seines Arbeitsplatzes verbitterte er zusehends.
After losing his job, he became increasingly embittered.
to embitter
To make someone inwardly hard, cynical, and unhappy through disappointments or hurtful experiences.
Die ständigen ungerechten Vorwürfe haben sie tief verbittert.
The constant unfair accusations deeply embittered her.
The verb consists of the inseparable prefix 'ver-' and the adjective 'bitter' (bitter). The prefix 'ver-' describes a change of state here. 'Verbittern' (to become embittered / to embitter) therefore means to become bitter or to make someone bitter.
Lass dich von dieser Niederlage nicht verbittern!
Don't let this defeat embitter you!
The verb can be used intransitively to say that a person becomes embittered ('Er verbittert' — he becomes embittered). But it can also be used transitively with an accusative object to say that something embitters a person ('Die Erfahrung verbitterte ihn' — the experience embittered him).
Nach all den Jahren in Einsamkeit verbitterte er.
After all those years of loneliness, he became embittered.
The past participle 'verbittert' (embittered) is very often used as an adjective to describe the character of a person who has become hard and cynical through negative experiences.
Er ist ein alter, verbitterter Mann geworden.
He has become an old, embittered man.
To state the reason for the bitterness, the preposition 'durch' (through/by) or 'über' (about/over) + accusative is often used.
Sie ist durch die Ungerechtigkeit, die sie erlebt hat, verbittert.
She is embittered by the injustice she experienced.
