- 1having a strong taste or smell the pungent smell of burning rubber The air was pungent with the smell of spices. Thesaurusbitter
- sour
- pungent
- sharp
- acidic
- tart
- bitter (of a taste or smell) strong and usually unpleasant; (of food or drink) having a bitter taste.
- sour (of a taste) like the taste of a lemon or of fruit that is not ripe; (of food or drink) having a sour taste:Too much pulp produces a sour wine.
- pungent (of a taste or smell) very strong, like the taste or smell of garlic or mustard:the pungent taste of onions
- sharp (of a taste or smell) strong and biting; (of food or drink) having a sharp taste:He prefers a very sharp cheddar cheese.
- acidic (of a taste) bitter, like the taste of lemons or vinegar; (of food or drink) having an acidic taste.
- tart sour, but often in a pleasant way:The lemon pie is both sweet and slightly tart.
- A bitter taste is usually unpleasant, but some people enjoy the bitter flavor of coffee or chocolate. No other word can describe this flavor. A sharp or pungent flavor is very strong and sometimes unpleasant; these words are used especially to describe cheese. Sour and acidic both describe the taste of a lemon or a fruit that is not ripe.
- a(n) bitter/sour/pungent/sharp/acidic/tart taste/flavor
- a bitter/pungent/sharp smell/odor
- a bitter/sour/sharp/tart fruit
- pungent/sharp cheese
- 2direct and having a strong effect pungent criticism
NAmE//ˈpʌndʒənsi//
noun [uncountable] adverb the pungently aromatic scent of clovesSee pungent in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Check pronunciation: pungent