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
But there’s a special spice, a special piquancy, to our Reacherism right now.
—
James Parker, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2024
Tender chunks of pork shoulder are braised in an aromatic broth of onions, garlic, serrano chiles and, most notably, green Hatch chiles, which cut through the rich stew with their distinctive piquancy.
—Ben Mims, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2023
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
James Parker, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2024
Tender chunks of pork shoulder are braised in an aromatic broth of onions, garlic, serrano chiles and, most notably, green Hatch chiles, which cut through the rich stew with their distinctive piquancy.
—Ben Mims, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2023
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
-
Suraj Aryal is bringing the spice back to a vacant Sunnyside restaurant property.—
Matthew Geiger,
Denver Post,
7 May 2025
-
Culinary students contribute to the farm stand by preparing and selling items such as spices, sriracha hot sauce, salsa and seasonings.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2025
Noun
-
Scrape down sides of bowl, and add honey and lemon zest and juice.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
-
The palate is chewy and spicy, with molasses, clove, toffee, stone fruit, and spiced/candied orange zest flavors, driven by the spicy rye content.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
7 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Piquancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piquancy. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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