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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective pungent contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pungent are piquant, poignant, and racy. While all these words 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

When might piquant be a better fit than pungent?

While in some cases nearly identical to pungent, piquant suggests a power to whet the appetite or interest through tartness or mild pungency.

a piquant sauce

When could poignant be used to replace pungent?

The words poignant and pungent are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, poignant suggests something is sharply or piercingly effective in stirring one's emotions.

felt a poignant sense of loss

When can racy be used instead of pungent?

While the synonyms racy and pungent are close in meaning, 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 pungent The spicy jerk chicken had a marinated sauce that gave it a pungent hotness. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025 The cheekily coined Cadieux e Pepe, a nod to Detroit’s Cadieux Road, reimagines cacio e pepe in pizza form—chewy dough crowned with sharp Parmesan, pungent fresh garlic, and cracked black pepper. Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 29 July 2025 Atkinson recalls one particularly pungent dye made from red cabbages that smelled like rotting garbage, though the odor quickly dissipated when the candy reached the cooking step, where it’s heated to over 300 degrees. Suzy Khimm, NBC news, 27 July 2025 Thorne’s vitamins are no-fuss, no-frills, and yes—a bit pungent. Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 26 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for pungent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pungent
Adjective
  • For a little bit of spicy kick, make the pimiento cheese with pepper Jack instead of Cheddar.
    Ann Taylor Pittman, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The star, of course, is ginger root oil—its warm, spicy aroma is blended with cardamom, clove, and coriander, plus a hit of citrus oils (lime, orange, bergamot, grapefruit) and eucalyptus for an energizing, feel-good scent.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The tequila daisy cocktail, served in a clay cantarito cup smudged with sumac salt, is piquant with ancho verde, mellowed with summer strawberry.
    Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • His piquant style of writing in the unfinished tell-all feels like dropping into a gossip circle in the most glamorous (and cutting) powder room on the planet.
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Its sparkling rim creates the sharp, tangy bite of a classic sour margarita on the first sip.
    Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Labneh, known for its creamy texture and tangy flavor, has become popular in restaurants and grocery stores.
    Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Mugs and satirical commemorative plates are some of the items that can be seen on display in a local gift shop.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The 2025 South Korean satirical black comedy thriller is co-written, produced and directed by Park Chan-wook (Decision To Leave, Old Boy, The Handmaiden).
    Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Robinson had braces in the yearbook photo, a childlike image that made the moment all the more poignant.
    Davis Winkie, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • What would Season One have been like without those poignant glimpses of the Pacific surf?
    Spencer Whaley, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Washington counts Qatar as a strong Gulf ally.
    Jarrett Renshaw, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
  • The audio-streaming platform has amassed a sizable free cash flow due to its strong revenue growth, a figure that has been boosted by the company's swelling active user base in recent financial quarters.
    Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • His witty, sarcastic, and often controversial commentary is the soundtrack to a generation of wrestling fans.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
  • She’s matched wonderfully by Cooke, who leans into her actual Manchester accent to give Cherry a stroppy, sarcastic bent and whose body looks absolutely banging wrapped in an array of oxblood, maroon, and cerise minidresses.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The Bitter Mai is also, improbably, absolutely delicious.
    Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Stanway plays in Kelly on the left wing, who delivers a delicious ball for Russo to head home.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pungent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pungent. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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