fragrant

adjective

fra·​grant ˈfrā-grənt 

: having a sweet or pleasant smell

fragrantly adverb

Synonyms of fragrant

• aromatic
• scented

Choose the Right Synonym for fragrant

odorous, fragrant, redolent, aromatic mean emitting and diffusing scent.

odorous applies to whatever has a strong distinctive smell whether pleasant or unpleasant.

odorous cheeses should be tightly wrapped

fragrant applies to things (such as flowers or spices) with sweet or agreeable odors.

a fragrant rose

redolent applies usually to a place or thing impregnated with odors.

the kitchen was redolent of garlic and tomatoes

aromatic applies to things emitting pungent often fresh odors.

an aromatic blend of tobaccos

Examples of fragrant in a Sentence

The soup was fragrant with herbs and spices.

the balsam fir is a favorite as a Christmas tree because it is so fragrant

Recent Examples on the Web

Palo santo, a fragrant wood traditionally used in South America, is known for its warm, resinous scent and its ability to create a grounding atmosphere. —Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 16 Dec. 2025

Janet carries some leaves of Labrador tea, gots’agoo lidi, a fragrant plant found here and all over the Arctic, used sometimes to make a fragrant hot beverage. —Literary Hub, 15 Dec. 2025

Unboxing it, knowing those fragrant white blooms would soon fill my home with brightness and beauty for weeks, brought pure joy. —Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2025

Sweet beet-tahini dip gets a spicy, fragrant twist with serrano peppers and garlic, while the traditional baba ghanouj adds warm roasted tomato salsa to its eggplant-tahini base. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 7 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin fragrant-, fragrans, from present participle of fragrare to be fragrant

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fragrant

• flagrant
• vagrant

Kids Definition

fragrant

adjective

fra·​grant ˈfrā-grənt 

: having a sweet or agreeable smell

fragrantly adverb