caustic

(noun) any chemical substance that burns or destroys living tissue.

(adj) harsh or corrosive in tone. Synonyms: acerb, acerbic, acid, acrid, bitter, blistering, sulfurous, sulphurous, virulent, vitriolic. Examples: "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." "A vitriolic critique."

(adj) of a substance, especially a strong acid; capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action. Synonyms: corrosive, erosive, vitriolic, mordant.