PIQUANT Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'piquant' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of piquant are poignant , pungent , and racy . While all these words mean "sharp and stimulating to the mind or the senses," piquant suggests a power to whet the appetite or interest through tartness or mild pungency. // a piquant sauce

Q: In what contexts can 'poignant' take the place of 'piquant'?

Although the words poignant and piquant have much in common, poignant suggests something is sharply or piercingly effective in stirring one's emotions. // felt a poignant sense of loss

Q: When is it sensible to use 'pungent' instead of 'piquant'?

The synonyms pungent and piquant are sometimes interchangeable, but pungent implies a sharp, stinging, or biting quality especially of odors. // a cheese with a pungent odor

Q: When might 'racy' be a better fit than 'piquant'?

The words racy and piquant can be used in similar contexts, but racy implies having a strongly characteristic natural quality fresh and unimpaired. // spontaneous, racy prose

piquant

adjective

ˈpē-kənt

Definition of piquant

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the adjective piquant contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of piquant are poignant, pungent, and racy. While all these words mean "sharp and stimulating to the mind or the senses," piquant suggests a power to whet the appetite or interest through tartness or mild pungency.

a piquant sauce

In what contexts can poignant take the place of piquant?

Although the words poignant and piquant have much in common, poignant suggests something is sharply or piercingly effective in stirring one's emotions.

felt a poignant sense of loss

When is it sensible to use pungent instead of piquant?

The synonyms pungent and piquant are sometimes interchangeable, but pungent implies a sharp, stinging, or biting quality especially of odors.

a cheese with a pungent odor

When might racy be a better fit than piquant?

The words racy and piquant can be used in similar contexts, but racy implies having a strongly characteristic natural quality fresh and unimpaired.

spontaneous, racy prose

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of piquant Like a cousin of pimiento cheese, Cheese slaw is a piquant yet creamy combo of banana peppers, Swiss cheese, and tangy mayo. — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026 Conductors often fetishize the opening bars of this opera, their squirmy alternation of silence and piquant dissonance. — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026 Red cabbage, carrots and Tuscan kale form the base, bound together with a piquant balsamic-Dijon vinaigrette. — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026 The comments section features a piquant blend of solemnity, mortification, tastelessness, and transphobia, which accords with Moreschi’s reception in his lifetime. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for piquant

Recent Examples of Synonyms for piquant

Adjective

Take oyakodon, a saucy chicken and egg rice bowl, or mapo tofu, where spicy tofu sings with ground meat.

— Emily Laurence Sardinha, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Oct. 2026
Waiters in Tom Ford tuxedos, meanwhile, passed around crab cakes and spicy rigatoni—the signature dish of Carbone’s eponymous restaurant.

— Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of spicy

Adjective

Many glass cleaners use ammonia to cut through grease and grime, but instead of leaving your appliances polished and shiny, the pungent solution can actually leave a streaky, cloudy sheen on stainless steel.

— Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 28 Sep. 2026
Rordam recommends avoiding fish and other pungent foods leading up to the open house and addressing any lingering odors beforehand.

— Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of pungent

Adjective

As a piece of theater, the dialogue between the two men often lands on the heart like a wry, platonic romance — and the moments in which both take a stand against the bigotry of some of Seastone’s callers are suddenly and acutely poignant.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Riley was a direct inspiration on the record, and while the Bay Area composer did work with drones, his influence is more poignant here, in the way Schwendener breaks the melody down into pieces and moves them around.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of poignant

Adjective

The orange bitters add a dry and zesty citrus character, and the Bénédictine brings a late-palate honeyed complexity that is warmed with baking spices.

— Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
His debut carried that discovery into zesty shades of its own, including bright greens, yellows and oranges.

— Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of zesty

Adjective

This countertop-friendly frozen dessert machine features five delicious presets for ice cream, sorbet, gelato, smoothie bowls and frozen yogurt.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
And Michael Rishawn almost steals the show with his delicious comic turn as the restaurant host, as well as other ancillary characters.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of delicious

Adjective

Reminiscent in some ways of Sidney Lumet’s landmark first feature, 12 Angry Men, McCarthy finds an exciting way to shoot this tight room without ever being rote.

— Pete Hammond, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2026
Nothing terribly exciting is happening inside this three-bedroom, but there’s lots of light and a respectable amount of space, and the beach is just a few minutes away.

— Nora Deligter, Curbed, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of exciting

Adjective

The trick is that the body’s salty tissues conduct electricity, so a tiny voltage pulse from the hub could spread across the rat’s body to reach the implant.

— Peter Hall, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026
The McDonald’s drive-thru has always been a great place to grab a quick bite on the road or the perfect mid-afternoon snack (which is an order of piping hot and perfectly salty fries and an ice-cold Diet Coke).

— Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of salty

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piquancy

piquant

pique

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“Piquant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piquant. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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