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
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Peppers followed, along with a healthy sprinkling of spices.
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Leveraging years of experience developed at Brunello Cucinelli and Prada, the designer used a beautiful palette of colors, the hues reflecting the spices of each location, from nutmeg and cardamom to ginger, cinnamon and vanilla, and those of the Mediterranean Sea.
Noun
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In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon zest, and lemon juice to make the sauce, and season with salt and pepper.
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Add zest and juice of 1 lemon, stir to combine, then season to taste with salt and cayenne, if using.
Cite this Entry
“Piquancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piquancy. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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