Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

zesty

American  
[zes-tee] / ˈzɛs ti /

adjective

zestier, zestiest

  1. full of zest; piquant.

    a zesty salad dressing.

  2. energetic; active.

    zesty trading in growth stocks.

Etymology

Origin of zesty

First recorded in 1925–30; zest + -y 1

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.

It’s simpler to prepare than one might assume, whether a chef goes Daisy’s route and simply roasts it or, like Charles, adds his great grandmother’s zesty sauce.

From Salon • Nov. 1, 2025

Five thousand fans, decked out in silver lamé and fishnet tops, packed the floor for two hours of zesty, bilingual club music.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2025

For that, I borrowed some of the zesty, spicy flavors of larb.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 14, 2024

A zesty and unlikely bidding war has seen a lemon that is nearly 300 years old fetch more than £1,000 at auction.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2024

He makes me the most zesty yet subtle macaroni and cheese I’ve ever had.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

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.