1. A very harsh, emotionally injurious criticism, insult, or retort. My grandmother wasn't afraid of letting off a stinger or two whenever she thought you were doing something foolish. Tom started making fun of Mary for her situation, and she came back with a stinger about his many business failures.

2. A result or outcome that is particularly disappointing, devastating, or disruptive. The star quarterback's transfer is sure to be a stinger to his former team. Losing such a lucrative account was certainly a stinger, but we'll continue to manage somehow.

3. A symptom of an impact injury to the neck, characterized by a stinging or burning sensation that radiates down the length of one's arm. My neck got wrenched from the tackle and gave me an awful stinger down my right arm.