Synonyms and Antonyms of pungent
1
having a powerfully stimulating odor or flavor
- a pungent chili that is not for those with timid taste buds
acid, acidic
acrid, bitter, harsh
gingery, hot, peppery, piquant, spicy, tart, zesty, zingy
putrid, rancid, rank, skunky
acute, keen
animating, energizing, exciting, galvanizing, invigorating, provocative
appetizing, delectable, delicious, palatable, toothsome
flavorful, savory (also savoury), tasty
aromatic, redolent
aged, mellow, ripe
gentle, soft
flat, flavorless, insipid
savorless, tasteless, zestless
dilute, thin, watery, weak
2
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
- a pungent put-down that she will not soon forget
acerb, acerbic, acid, acidic, acidulous, acrid, barbed, biting, caustic, corrosive, cutting, mordant, sarcastic, sardonic, satiric (or satirical), scalding, scathing, sharp, smart-aleck, smart-alecky, smart-mouthed, snarky, tart
brisk, cross, sharp-tongued, sour, sourish, spiky (also spikey), tartish
incisive, keen, poignant, trenchant
cynical, dry, ironic (also ironical), wry
facetious, flippant, tongue-in-cheek
acrimonious, bitter, resentful, vitriolic
harsh, rough, severe, stringent
abrupt, blunt, brusque (also brusk), concise, crisp, curt, gruff, pithy, snippety, snippy, succinct, terse
backhanded, insincere
amusing, droll, merry, playful, sportive, waggish
gentle, mild
bland
good-humored, good-natured
diplomatic, polite, smooth, suave, urbane
affable, cordial, genial, gracious, hospitable, sociable
3
sharp and pleasantly stimulating to the mind or senses
- a newspaper columnist known for his pungent observations on everyday life
