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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective racy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of racy are piquant, poignant, and pungent. While all these words mean "sharp and stimulating to the mind or the senses," racy implies having a strongly characteristic natural quality fresh and unimpaired.

spontaneous, racy prose

When might piquant be a better fit than racy?

While in some cases nearly identical to racy, 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 racy?

The synonyms poignant and racy are sometimes interchangeable, but poignant suggests something is sharply or piercingly effective in stirring one's emotions.

felt a poignant sense of loss

Where would pungent be a reasonable alternative to racy?

While the synonyms pungent and racy are close in meaning, pungent implies a sharp, stinging, or biting quality especially of odors.

a cheese with a pungent odor

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 racy Bugatti Tourbillon Actor and comedian Marlon Wayans wore the racy Jacob & Co. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2025 The emergence of this new Blair led to a racy romp in the backseat of Chuck's limo — a night the two would always remember. Emily Exton, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Sep. 2025 Howard, a queen bee with a racy reputation, became a scene-stealer with her emotional outbursts and volatile friendship with Maddy (Alexa Demie). Edward Segarra, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025 Disney+ is nearly halfway through the Season 2 shoot on Rivals — and the racy Jilly Cooper adaptation has added two new guest cast members to its ensemble. Jake Kanter, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for racy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racy
Adjective
  • But Missoula, Livingston and Bozeman have lively literary scenes.
    New York Times, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Expect lively notes of lemon zest, grapefruit, and green apple, anchored by a soft minerality that adds depth without overpowering.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Glade Plug-In Apple Cinnamon Refills, 5-Pack This fragrance is a little sweet, a little spicy, and 100 percent comforting — definitely not your typical overpowering air freshener.
    Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Rally’s is launching two new spicy Western-style burgers in California.
    Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The animated pic also included an LGBTQ relationship between Buzz’s best friend and commander, Alisha Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba), and her wife, Kiko, with glimpses of their life as a couple and an onscreen kiss.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The animated session felt less like a demonstration and more like a homecoming.
    Essence, Essence, 11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The department’s content warnings include mild romantic situations and notions of matchmaking, gentle social satire, occasional passive-aggressive dialogue and very mild suggestive themes (but nothing explicit).
    Eric E. Harrison, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2025
  • This result is suggestive but not conclusive, as it was based on modeling and not direct measurements.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The 16-track project finds Soulja experimenting with fresh sounds — from that West Coast bass to more energetic beats — all while staying true to the essence that built his legacy.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 13 Oct. 2025
  • For however long Warner is out, the 49ers will lose not only a Defensive Player of the Year candidate but also the most vocal and most energetic player in the locker room.
    The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Johnson, who spent the past year-plus on Miami’s practice squad, will give the Dolphins a fifth available cornerback if Storm Duck isn’t active.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
  • The Phillips 66 refinery will start shutting down this month and end active fuel production at the end of 2025, the company said.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In his work, everything is animate, everything has a soul, everything has a story.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025
  • In his account of an Essex owl evening, all senses seem to merge, and all distinction between animate and inanimate disappears.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • On a brisk February evening in 2006, around a hundred people gathered in the venerable Koreatown watering hole HMS Bounty to pay their last respects to Los Angeles’ historic Ambassador Hotel.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Playing there in October, Nadal, Świątek and their foes had to reckon with brisk winds, gray skies and plummeting thermometers.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Racy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racy. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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