as in spicy
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
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Recent Examples of piquant
It is often topped with crispy and raw onions, slathered with piquant sauces (including rémoulade and sweet brown mustard), and served on a toasted bun.
—
Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2025
Cosplay furthers the cause with a dazzling array of comic pop culture references, repurposed arcana, and piquant sonic signifiers from the annals of indie-rock.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2025
Try the Mezzrole, a piquant blend of French limes, Pickett’s spicy-sweet ginger syrup, and tart rice vinegar that finishes with notes of sea salt.
—Chala June, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
The spicy Korean burger is for the more adventurous among us, but the piquant pickled slaw on top is super addictive.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for piquant
Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2025
Cosplay furthers the cause with a dazzling array of comic pop culture references, repurposed arcana, and piquant sonic signifiers from the annals of indie-rock.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 7 Nov. 2025
Try the Mezzrole, a piquant blend of French limes, Pickett’s spicy-sweet ginger syrup, and tart rice vinegar that finishes with notes of sea salt.
—Chala June, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
The spicy Korean burger is for the more adventurous among us, but the piquant pickled slaw on top is super addictive.
—Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for piquant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piquant
Adjective
-
Then there’s upscale Mexican restaurant El Molino, with its spicy twist on local Baja California cuisine, and Farina e Olio, an oceanfront Italian trattoria serving melt-in-your-mouth ravioli and life-altering desserts.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The red king, which is a spicy version of their pork broth ramen, was worth the years of anticipation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The classroom was very hot and had a foul odor, a thick, pungent coal smell that we had been told to associate with freedom.—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
-
From the sweet and pungent Cipolla Rossa di Tropea festival in Ricadi to chestnut fairs in the mountains, these gatherings are a lively, delicious way to connect with the region’s culture and flavors.—
Jenna Curcio,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The artwork is typically accompanied by text from Botto explaining its sometimes-poignant vision.—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Paulina Dávila plays opposite Gael García Bernal in this poignant drama produced by Panorama Entertainment.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This comes with six shrimp and a zesty sauce.—
Susan Stapleton,
Des Moines Register,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Or do as the French do–dip the Artichoke leaves into a zesty aioli and scrape the savory pulp with your teeth.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Their first round consisted of the Dove, a delicious spin on a whiskey sour, made with plum, five spice, and Armagnac, and the Kuniyoshi, a sharp mix of mezcal, shochu, vermouth, and pineapple.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Amid all the excitement, Jin, Jimin, and V stop by Vogue’s kitchen to cook up a delicious dinner for Now Serving, a video series in which celebrities make their favorite dishes.—
Anna Grace Lee,
Vogue,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Soy sauce is a non-negotiable, both for drizzling over dumplings (more on that later) and for adding deeply savory saltiness to any dish.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Relax by the grand fireplace overlooking the mountainside as you’re delivered triers of sweet pastries and chocolate treats, savory salmon toasts, lobster rolls, and more while Artisanal high chocolate is poured over fluffy cotton candy.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The oil control remains an exciting proposition to control excess shine today for an intelligent matte coverage that adjusts with you.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Amazon's Spring Sale is almost at an end, but there are still some exciting deals for you!—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Over at the Place Pigalle, salty comedians told jokes as exotic dancers wiggled their stuff.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
-
At this one, happy hour is frequented by local folks — a few of them salty dogs from the marina nearby.—
Leo del Aguila,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piquant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piquant. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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