"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"

"blistering sun"

"a hot sports car"
"a blistering pace"
"got off to a hot start"
"in hot pursuit"
"a red-hot line drive"