Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

piquant

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of piquant

sharp and pleasantly stimulating to the mind or senses
  • a piquant tidbit of information about the new neighbors
  • The piquant cuisine of India boasts some highly spiced dishes.
Synonyms of piquant

pert, poignant, pungent, salty, savory (also savoury), zesty, zingy
Words Related to piquant

racy, spicy

fiery, gingery, hot, peppery, vinegary

acute, keen

biting, bitter, cutting, mordant, trenchant

animating, energizing, enlightening, exciting, galvanizing, invigorating, piquing, provocative, provoking

ambrosial, appetizing, delectable, delicious, luscious, palatable, scrumptious, toothsome

flavorful, savorous, tasty
Near Antonyms of piquant

flat, flavorless, savorless, tasteless

arid, banal, barren, boring, colorless, drab, dreary, dry, dull, flat, humdrum, leaden, monotonous, numbing, pedestrian, ponderous, stale, stodgy, tedious, tiring, wearisome

bland, dilute, thin, watery, weak
Antonyms of piquant

insipid, zestless

Synonym Discussion of piquant

pungent, piquant, poignant, racy mean sharp and stimulating to the mind or the senses. pungent implies a sharp, stinging, or biting quality especially of odors.
    • a cheese with a pungent odor
piquant suggests a power to whet the appetite or interest through tartness or mild pungency.
    • a piquant sauce
poignant suggests something is sharply or piercingly effective in stirring one's emotions.
    • felt a poignant sense of loss
racy implies having a strongly characteristic natural quality fresh and unimpaired.
    • spontaneous, racy prose

Learn More about piquant

  1. See words that rhyme with piquant Dictionary: Definition of piquant Spanish Central: Translation of piquant Nglish: Translation of piquant for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up piquant? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games