astringent
Americanadjective
noun
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Medicine/Medical. a substance that contracts the tissues or canals of the body, thereby diminishing discharges, as of mucus or blood.
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a cosmetic that cleans the skin and constricts the pores.
adjective
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severe; harsh
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sharp or invigorating
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causing contraction of body tissues, checking blood flow, or restricting secretions of fluids; styptic
noun
Related Words
See acid.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of astringent
1535–45; < Latin astringent- (stem of astringēns ) present participle of astringere to astringe; see -ent
Explanation
You know that vinegar-like liquid teens put on their faces in order to tighten their pores and dry up their pimples? That's astringent. An astringent personality, on the other hand, is perceived as bitter and perhaps even a bit toxic. Astringent may be a lifesaver for an acne-prone teen, but when the term is used as an adjective and applied to you personally, it's less positive. Since astringents are acid-based, an astringent personality can also be corrosive. If someone is prone to biting sarcasm and cynicism, he probably has an astringent view of the world.
Vocabulary lists containing astringent
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Their study, published in Current Research in Food Science, examined whether the distinctive astringent taste of flavanols could itself act as a signal to the brain.
From Science Daily • Feb. 7, 2026
It was musty and slightly astringent, not unlike the communal bin area in his block of flats.
From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025
These compounds, which look like rings at the molecular level, interact with proteins in your saliva to produce a dry, astringent sensation that makes your mouth pucker.
From Salon • Nov. 25, 2024
Frank‘s and Charley‘s very different definitions of what constitutes a friend offers an astringent alternative to our culture’s sometimes treacly, overly simplistic portrayal of the bond.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2024
The kitchen was sweet with tarts, and some of the berries had boiled over in the oven and burned, making the sharp, bitter-sweet smell pleasant and astringent.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
