spice 1 of 2

Definition of spicenext
1
as in scent
a sweet or pleasant smell a cologne for men that captures all of the spice of the sea

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2
as in flavor
something (as a spice or herb) that adds an agreeable or interesting taste to food Europe in Columbus's time imported rare and valuable spices from the Indies

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3

spice

2 of 2

verb

as in to flavor
to make more pleasant to the taste by adding something intensely flavored spice the stew with more pepper

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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 spice
Noun
Start with our Master Pickle Brine, then dress it up with some spice from a jalapeño and a twist of licorice-flavor from tarragon and fennel seed. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2026 Saffron Saffron is a bright yellow spice that adds rich flavor to rice dishes. Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
Vintage Silverware Dividers Your current dividers may be doing the job, but one way to spice up your silverware drawer is with a vintage divider. Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026 Hamilton described his version as landing somewhere between Senegalese and Ghanaian, cooked in a slurry of roasted red peppers, tomatoes and onions, delicately spiced and with a whisper of smoke. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spice
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spice
Noun
  • When in bloom, the tree is adorned with fragrant white flowers that can fill a patio with their delightful scent.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 May 2026
  • Soaps are a farmers market must-have; take the easy route by purchasing a block of craft soap, melting it down, and adding your favorite soap-safe colors and scents.
    Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • With a pour of salsa roja, tart and hot (but not overly so), or a more judicious application of the punishingly spicy salsa verde, the bean and cheese transforms into a kinetic flavor field of curves and spikes.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 3 May 2026
  • By December, kitsch in its more seasonal flavors had overrun the front yards of Paradise Palms.
    Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • Among other things, the team brainstormed ways to add comedic zest to a best man’s speech, a fan letter, a sermon and an apology.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 1 May 2026
  • Served with Catalan flatbread chips ($12), redfish Galicia, a fish brushed with extra-virgin olive oil, cooked in a sauce pan with garlic butter, baked with lemon zest.
    Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • My whole house has a slight fragrance afterwards as well.
    Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 29 Apr. 2026
  • In these fields of tuberose, jasmine, iris, geraniums, and roses, the legendary fragrance Nº 5 comes to life.
    Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • One visible consequence of this administrative action was the reformulation of traditional root beer, which shifted from sassafras to artificial or alternative flavorings, often derived from wintergreen.
    Kari Traylor, JSTOR Daily, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Instead, whole grains and foods are dissembled into molecules which, with the help of artificial colorings, flavorings and gluelike emulsifiers, are heated, pounded, shaped or extruded into any food a manufacturer can dream up.
    Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • That Mann himself had written stories on gay themes added to the piquancy of the encounter.
    Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026
  • And a jicama salad is my personal favorite, balancing heat in piquancy and chill in temperature.
    Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Food is prepared on charcoal- burning grills, giving it a mouthwatering char and aroma that electric grills could never dream of replicating.
    Nathanael Gassett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Apr. 2026
  • As the story goes, Christopher Columbus was first drawn to the continent’s shores by the strong, cinnamon-like aroma of the sassafras tree.
    Kari Traylor, JSTOR Daily, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In a traditional Japanese handle, a wa-style handle, the tang thins out into a strip of metal that’s completely buried in a cylindrical or octagonal wood handle.
    Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026
  • The strawberries get super syrupy and sweet with just a little tang from the lemon, and that flavor seeps into the biscuits in the best way.
    Marianne Williams, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Spice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spice. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

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