as in spice
the quality or state of being stimulating to the mind or senses
a talk show host known for the quickness and piquancy of his wit I appreciated the piquancy of the peppers in the sauce
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Recent Examples of piquancy
The key to its flavor is a balance of sweet, spice, piquancy and heat, which creates a balanced and addictive bite.
—
Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 17 June 2024
While there are pops of piquancy in Landon’s script, her direction and the performances (with the exception of Woodard) fail to inspire much more than a shrug.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
While its distinctive piquancy might throw some off, that very taste is what keeps it on the South Korean table week after week.
—Violet Kim, CNN, 28 June 2023
Just enough to assert its piquancy and hint at the dish’s roots.
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 21 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for piquancy
Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 17 June 2024
While there are pops of piquancy in Landon’s script, her direction and the performances (with the exception of Woodard) fail to inspire much more than a shrug.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2024
While its distinctive piquancy might throw some off, that very taste is what keeps it on the South Korean table week after week.
—Violet Kim, CNN, 28 June 2023
Just enough to assert its piquancy and hint at the dish’s roots.
—Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 21 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for piquancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piquancy
Noun
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The New Extraction Economy Early colonial powers extracted gold, spices and resources from distant lands while giving little back to local communities.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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One of my favorites was Seta su Luminara, which features modern Italian cuisine from Fabio Trabocchi, including an eight-course tasting menu inspired by the spice-trading history of Venice that comes at extra cost.—
Amanda Eyre Ward,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Add some lemon zest, or change the flavorings, maybe add a ripple of crumb topping in the middle—just makes a new cake.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
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Aromas of lemon peel citrus zest and yellow poppy.—
Tom Hyland,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Piquancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piquancy. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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