Did you know?
Things described as "pungent"—be they on the plate or on the page—have a bite to them, just as the word's Latin forbear suggests: the verb pungere means "to prick or sting." Some early uses of pungent described things that literally pricked, and the word is still used this way in the biological sciences for such purposes as identifying fish with pungent dorsal fins or plants (such as holly) with pungent leaves. But most often we reserve pungent for flavors and scents that don’t actually pierce or poke us, even if they result in similar sensations—which many people enjoy! The word is also frequently applied to verbal prickings, in which sharp and incisive language brings a biting quality to satires, critiques, and the like. Not to put too fine a point on it, but we think pungent really cuts the mustard as an evocative word choice.
Examples of pungent in a Sentence
Jennifer Senior, New York Times Book Review, 24 Sept. 2006
I remember the enormous size of that fire and the pungent smell of smoke from the burning chaparral as the flames raced up the slope toward our house.
—Tim White, Curious Minds, 2004
Maybe what seems pungent to the locals only becomes alarming when sniffed through a giant Western proboscis, but there are some odors in China that make a visit to Bhopal seem like a picnic downwind from the Arpege factory.
—P. J. O'Rourke, Holidays in Hell, 1988
a play with pungent dialogue
a pungent satire of current politics
Sun Sentinel, 16 May 2025
How To Plant And Grow Onions Emitting Odors From pungent bulbs to delicate chives, onions possess properties that can help deter unwelcome visitors in the garden.
—Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 11 May 2025
What alerted many international consumers to SB, while turning many others off the varietal, was the immensely popular Cloudy Bay version from New Zealand, which appealed to those who like their wine to taste like pungent, grassy fruit punch.
—John Mariani, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
The flapjack was fluffy, the taters were crunchy and buttery, the chorizo had a spicy kick, and the pungent sourdough bread crunched.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pungent
Cite this Entry
“Pungent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pungent. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pungent
adjective
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