Synonyms of piquant

piquant

adjective

ˈpē-kənt 

as in spicy

sharp and pleasantly stimulating to the mind or senses

a piquant tidbit of information about the new neighbors

the piquant cuisine of India boasts some highly spiced dishes

Synonyms & Similar Words

• spicy
• pungent
• poignant
• savoury
• zesty
• delicious
• savory
• salty
• pert
• biting
• fascinating
• zingy
• provocative
• peppery
• interesting
• vinegary
• acute
• trenchant
• flavorful
• racy
• exciting
• hot
• provoking
• intriguing
• enlightening
• fiery
• mordant
• delectable
• scrumptious
• appetizing
• tasty
• toothsome
• energizing
• keen
• gripping
• galvanizing
• luscious
• absorbing
• ambrosial
• engrossing
• riveting
• enthralling
• gingery
• cutting
• engaging
• bitter
• invigorating
• palatable
• animating
• arresting
• savorous
• piquing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• insipid
• dry
• flat
• tasteless
• predictable
• arid
• tedious
• dull
• banal
• monotonous
• boring
• uninteresting
• ponderous
• drab
• leaden
• wearisome
• humdrum
• barren
• thin
• colorless
• stale
• dreary
• zestless
• weak
• numbing
• stodgy
• pedestrian
• flavorless
• tiring
• bland
• savorless
• dilute
• watery
• wearying

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective piquant contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of piquant are poignant, pungent, and racy. While all these words mean "sharp and stimulating to the mind or the senses," piquant suggests a power to whet the appetite or interest through tartness or mild pungency.

a piquant sauce

In what contexts can poignant take the place of piquant?

Although the words poignant and piquant have much in common, poignant suggests something is sharply or piercingly effective in stirring one's emotions.

felt a poignant sense of loss

When is it sensible to use pungent instead of piquant?

The synonyms pungent and piquant are sometimes interchangeable, but pungent implies a sharp, stinging, or biting quality especially of odors.

a cheese with a pungent odor

When might racy be a better fit than piquant?

The words racy and piquant can be used in similar contexts, but racy implies having a strongly characteristic natural quality fresh and unimpaired.

spontaneous, racy prose

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of piquant

It’s slicked with tomato and distinguished by a piquant sweet and sour sauce (or agrodolce), studded with sharp, briny olives and capers, and sweetened with raisins and honey. —Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 22 July 2025

Within an hour of arriving, a familiar, piquant aroma wafted from the kitchen. —Cleyvis Natera, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 July 2025

Or hamachi crudo in a piquant blend of fish sauce, lime juice, and peach. —Lia Picard, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2025

And to think, this pitiless conquistador came to North America as a humble kitchen herb, deliberately imported by European settlers for its piquant flavor. —Zoë Lescaze, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025

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