pungent

adjective
UK: /ˈpʌndʒənt/
US: /ˈpʌndʒənt/

  1. Having a strong, sharp smell or taste.

    1. The air had a pungent smell of burning leaves, so I closed window.
    2. The sauce had a pungent flavor that I found quite overpowering on the steak.

  2. Sharp or irritating to the senses; penetrating.

    1. The room was filled with the pungent aroma of spices all day.
    2. His pungent criticism of the new policy was right on target for everyone.

Synonyms

acrid strong biting sharp piquant poignant

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "pungent" in English means: Having a strong, sharp smell or taste., Sharp or irritating to the senses; penetrating..

The phonetic transcription of "pungent" is /ˈpʌndʒənt/ in British English and /ˈpʌndʒənt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pungent": acrid, strong, biting, sharp, piquant, poignant.

Example usage of "pungent": "The air had a pungent smell of burning leaves, so I closed window.". More examples on the page.