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
And a jicama salad is my personal favorite, balancing heat in piquancy and chill in temperature.
—
Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 1 Apr. 2025
The most notable part of this gag was not the joke itself, a standard late-night quip delivered with appropriate piquancy.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for piquancy
Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 1 Apr. 2025
The most notable part of this gag was not the joke itself, a standard late-night quip delivered with appropriate piquancy.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 22 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for piquancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piquancy
Noun
-
Buffalo Chicken Bites are similar to chicken nuggets but with a bit more spice.—
Phoebe Evans,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Let sit at room temperature while the spices cook.—
Kate Williams,
AJC.com,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In a small bowl, mix the ricotta with the lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt.—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Add cucumber, julienne carrots, green onions and lemon zest to a bowl.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piquancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piquancy. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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