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
-
The minibar brimmed with complimentary sodas, addictively spicy small-batch pimento cheese Lowcountry Kettle Chips, and lemon sugar cookies from Charleston’s Own.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
-
If the kids are pushing for a Big Mac or Chick-fil-A spicy deluxe chicken sandwich, but the budget can’t support it, there’s a hack for that.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Once these yellow, red, orange, or cream blooms appear, squirrels will leave them alone due to their strong, pungent odor.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
One of the most poignant moments of the mission was a tribute to Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, who died of cancer in 2020.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Emotionally honest with just the right dash of humor, Private Life is a poignant slice of family drama anchored by Hahn's vulnerable performance.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Pickled shrimp, fresh veggies, tender herbs, and a zesty lemon dressing ensure this pasta salad is anything but boring.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Start your day with this zesty take on granola.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The parathas, as the savory flatbreads are called, stuffed with onion and paneer and coated with a generous amount of butter, are as delicious as ever.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
11 Apr. 2026
-
This simple combination of strawberries, lemon, basil, and sugar is the key to so many fruit-forward desserts, but the sweet mixture is just as delicious when enjoyed on its own.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As its name suggests, the restaurant specialized in pasties – a savory hand pie with British roots, typically filled with meat and vegetables.—
Cecilio Padilla,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Everyday outings, like going to the grocery store, are exciting adventures for him.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
In an interview with STAT, Nedergaard, who is also affiliated with the University of Copenhagen, explained some of the exciting implications of her research, including its possible application for better tools to screen for — and combat — neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s.—
Amanda Erickson,
STAT,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Lufthansa also commissioned a study conducted by Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics, which found the combination of dryness and low pressure also reduces the sensitivity of taste buds for both sweet and salty by up to 30 percent.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Apr. 2026
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Temporary morning puffiness, swelling after a salty meal or a rounder face with no other symptoms are probably not cause for concern.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Piquant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piquant. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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