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Piquant

adj. joyful, energetic formal

What it means

Meaning 1

Pleasantly sharp or stimulating in flavor.

Reach for it when describing food whose lively tang or spice adds interest without overwhelming

A piquant relish lifted the mild beans with mustard and citrus.

Meaning 2

Engaging because it is lively, provocative, or intriguingly unusual.

Reach for it when praising a detail or remark for adding spirited interest

The memoir gains piquant humor from its footnotes and small reversals.

Words to choose between 7

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom, and by meaning across. Tap a word to see when it fits.
Meaning 1Meaning 2
everyday
warm
professional
formal
  • Piquant (this word)
literary
  • Piquant (this word)

Meaning 1: Pleasantly sharp or stimulating in flavor.

  • everyday

    spicy

    Fits if seasoning or heat creates the stimulation

    Careful Spicy can mean much hotter and lacks piquant's controlled pleasantness.

  • everyday

    tangy

    Fits when a bright acidic taste is the dominant feature

    Careful Tangy does not cover peppery heat or aromatic sharpness.

  • warm

    zesty

    Suits a fresh, lively flavor often associated with citrus or herbs

    Careful Zesty sounds more exuberant and may suggest literal zest.

  • professional

    peppery

    Fits when the flavor specifically recalls pepper or a dry bite

    Careful Peppery is narrow and may describe aroma rather than taste.

Meaning 2: Engaging because it is lively, provocative, or intriguingly unusual.

  • warm

    lively

    Fits when energy and variety make material engaging

    Careful Lively material can engage without containing a pointed or unusual detail.

  • professional

    intriguing

    Fits when where curiosity rather than sharpness creates the appeal

    Careful Intriguing promises interest but not the spirited edge of piquant.

  • formal

    provocative

    Fits if the idea deliberately challenges assumptions or elicits reaction

    Careful Provocative can be confrontational or sexual, unlike gently piquant interest.

Opposites 4

  • bland
  • insipid
  • dull
  • banal

Common phrases 3

  • piquant flavor

    Pickled cherries gave the sauce a piquant flavor.

  • piquant sauce

    The piquant sauce balanced ginger heat with a little honey.

  • piquant detail

    One piquant detail reveals that the rivals shared a childhood tutor.

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Spawn777, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated