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

“Sometimes, it would be really, really pungent,” she recalled, adding that she’d get headaches and feel like throwing up.

From Los Angeles Times

I chugged cups of instant black coffee like water, not paying much heed to the bitter, pungent aftertaste that lingered on my tongue and scorched my throat.

From Salon

As pungent as our political discourse may often be, calling for a sacking still has an extra severity to it.

From BBC

Any viewer thoroughly marinated in the pungent weirdness of “I Think You Should Leave” understands what that means.

From Salon

Multiply that by a family's worth of footwear, stack them on a rack, and you have a domestic design problem that's as pungent as it is universal.

From BBC

Related Words

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