pungent

Meaning

1. Having a strong odor that stings the nose; said especially of acidic or spicy substances.
2. Having a strong taste that stings the tongue; said especially of hot (spicy) food, which has a strong and sharp or bitter taste.
3. (figuratively) Stinging; acerbic.
4. Having a sharp and stiff point.

Synonyms

acrid

sharp

hot

🥵

spicy

biting

strong

caustic

keen

piquant

peppery

nipping

acid

astringent

barbed

poignant

piercing

cutting

acrimonious

acute

mordacious

severe

smart

tart

trenchant

spice up

racy

harsh

nippy

shrill

fulgurating

stinging

pointed

pricking

bitter

crisp

savoury

mordant

abrupt

very sharp

bold

peaked

peaky

blistering

perceptive

permeating

perspicacious

piked

bite

beaked

prickly

Translations

piquant

acre

scherp

acre

brusque

âcre

scharf

stechend

penetrante

poignant

pungente

caustique

stark

οξύς

schroff

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈpʌnd͡ʒənt/

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin pungens (stem pungent-), present participle of pungo (“to sting”). Doublet of poignant.