Agitated controversialist renounces ancestors, showing bitter malice (7)
I believe the answer is:
vitriol
'bitter malice' is the definition.
'vitriol' can be an answer for 'malice' (I've seen this before). I'm not sure about the 'bitter' bit.
'agitated controversialist renounces ancestors' is the wordplay.
'agitated' indicates anagramming the letters.
'renounces' is a deletion indicator.
'controversialist' with 'ancestors' removed is 'ovrilit'.
'ovrilit' is an anagram of 'VITRIOL'.
'showing' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for vitriol that I've seen before include "Vicious criticism" , "Abusive language - sulphuric acid" , "Bitter words" , "Sulphuric acid and hate-filled criticism" , "Kind of acid or savage criticism" .)