1
as in spicy
having a powerfully stimulating odor or flavor
a pungent chili that is not for those with timid taste buds
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2
as in satirical
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
a pungent put-down that she will not soon forget
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in piquant
sharp and pleasantly stimulating to the mind or senses
a newspaper columnist known for his pungent observations on everyday life
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Recent Examples of pungent
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
The scent of the earth was pungent and overpowered the acrid smell of the gunpowder, which dissipated into the air.
—Literary Hub, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pungent
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
The scent of the earth was pungent and overpowered the acrid smell of the gunpowder, which dissipated into the air.
—Literary Hub, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pungent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pungent
Adjective
-
The shrimp dumplings are satisfyingly spicy and plump, and the beef noodle soup is comforting and well-balanced, with tender beef brisket chunks.—
Shindy Chen,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Sep. 2025
-
That settles into a spicy suede with cardamom and benzoin, before warming into tonka bean, amber, and musk.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
5 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
-
To top it all off for the most decadent finish, caramel icing is poured or spread over the entire cake for a glossy, luxurious topping that contrasts the tangy blackberry filling.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
31 Aug. 2025
-
These beans are sweet, smoky and tangy.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
His upcoming credits included Ruben Östlund's satirical black comedy The Entertainment System is Down, also set to star Keanu Reeves, Kirsten Dunst, and Woody Harrelson.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The movie is an adaptation of Donald Westlake’s 1997 satirical thriller The Ax, which was also adapted by the great Costa Gavras in 2005.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
One of the most poignant choices is to intercut scratchy film of the train that in 1921 transported the Unknown Soldier to Rome in a coffin draped with patriotic banners and flowers, to be enshrined in the Altar of the Fatherland with an eternal flame at the Vittorio Emanuele II monument.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Pitted against the unforgettably evil Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), a sadist who drugs and abuses the unlucky patients in her care, McMurphy’s stand against the oppressive powers that be is tragic and poignant and spoke to the spirit of a time in which so many felt misunderstood.—
Christina Newland,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Reese wants to skip through the rebuilding process, but doing so has already put Chicago in a position in which building a stronger talent base is going to be much more difficult.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Speaking to the crowd before the march, Eve Devitt, an Idaho human rights activist, said that LGBTQ+ history is built on fighting for rights, which makes the community stronger.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Even an otherwise neutral comment can be contorted into a sarcastic retort, an insult or a counterattack.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
On the par-4 14th, Scheffler splashed out of a greenside bunker to 10 feet, missed the par putt, and then, without hesitation, threw a sarcastic fist pump toward the hole.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The food is basically pescatarian, beautifully presented and incredibly delicious.—
Sherrie Nachman,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
This powder comes in a few delicious flavors—unflavored, strawberry lemon, vanilla, and chocolate—and is packed with vitamin C, which can support collagen synthesis to further boost effectiveness, according to Fazio.—
Brianna Peters,
Vogue,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pungent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pungent. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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