pungent
Americanadjective
-
sharply affecting the organs of taste or smell, as if by a penetrating power; biting; acrid.
-
acutely distressing to the feelings or mind; poignant.
-
caustic, biting, or sharply expressive.
pungent remarks.
- Synonyms:
- bitter, acrimonious, cutting, mordant, sarcastic
- Antonyms:
- soothing
-
mentally stimulating or appealing.
pungent wit.
- Antonyms:
- dull
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Biology. piercing or sharp-pointed.
adjective
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having an acrid smell or sharp bitter flavour
-
(of wit, satire, etc) biting; caustic
-
biology ending in a sharp point
a pungent leaf
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pungent
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin pungent-, stem of pungēns “pricking,” present participle of pungere “to prick”; cf. poignant
Explanation
Use pungent to describe a taste or smell that gives a sharp sensation. "What is that pungent odor?" is a polite way of suggesting that someone in the room has BO. The ultimate source of the word pungent is Latin pungere, "to prick, sting." Ginger and mustard seed are examples of pungent spices. Limburger cheese has the distinction of being the most pungent of all cheeses. And if your pet has an accident in the house, there may be a pungent odor. And pungent can be used in a figurative sense: pungent language is stimulating and expressive.
Vocabulary lists containing pungent
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 4
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The Nose Knows: Olfactory Vocabulary
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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.
Glendale resident Trinity Shi, 42, witnessed three blooms at the Huntington in 2022 and 2023 and compared the smell to rotten fish: pungent, but not unbearable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
The delicacy infused with beneficial bacteria remains a traditional Japanese breakfast staple, but their pungent aroma, viscous texture and yeasty taste divide even their homeland.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
Though he is sometimes turned off by the tangy and pungent taste of sauerkraut, he found the diet helped him shed fat, and reduced aches and pains.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
There’s its flavor profile, which is sharp and pungent when consumed raw yet mellow, nutty and almost buttery when cooked down.
From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2026
The memories of old Christmases winged through the room like richly plumed birds and rested on the pungent branches of the tinsel-heavy tree the family as a unit had decorated.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
