pungent

American  

[puhn-juhnt] / ˈpʌn dʒənt /

adjective

1. sharply affecting the organs of taste or smell, as if by a penetrating power; biting; acrid.

   Synonyms:

   sharp, piquant, peppery, hot

   Antonyms:

   bland, mild

2. acutely distressing to the feelings or mind; poignant.

3. caustic, biting, or sharply expressive.

   pungent remarks.

   Synonyms:

   bitter, acrimonious, cutting, mordant, sarcastic

   Antonyms:

   soothing

4. mentally stimulating or appealing.

   pungent wit.

   Synonyms:

   sharp, keen

   Antonyms:

   dull

5. Biology. piercing or sharp-pointed.

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pungent British  

/ ˈpʌndʒənt /

adjective

1. having an acrid smell or sharp bitter flavour

2. (of wit, satire, etc) biting; caustic

3. biology ending in a sharp point

   a pungent leaf

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Other Word Forms

• nonpungency noun
• nonpungent adjective
• nonpungently adverb
• pungency noun
• pungently adverb

Etymology

Origin of pungent

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin pungent-, stem of pungēns “pricking,” present participle of pungere “to prick”; poignant

Example Sentences

After two years, rich, black, pungent Dutch coffee.

From Literature

"When the shop worker took the bag inside, they noticed that this particular donation had a distinctive pungent aroma," a police spokesperson told the New Zealand Herald.

From BBC

Some of it spilled out onto the deck, filling the air with the pungent odor of distant lands, before the barrels were hurled overboard into the water.

From Literature

Mallory Dodge, a stay-at-home mom in Georgia, was flooded with pungent memories of Axe when considering which starter cologne to buy her teenage son last year.

From The Wall Street Journal

"The smell is awful, very pungent. It is also unpleasant to look at. It looks filthy," said Nurhasanah, who like many Indonesians only has one name.

From Barron's

Related Words

• acid
• acrid
• aromatic
• bitter
• peppery
• piquant
• poignant
• salty
• sharp
• sour
• spicy
• stinging
• tangy
• zesty