pungent
adjective /ˈpʌn.dʒənt/Definition
› describes a very strong smell or taste, sometimes one that is unpleasantly strong: the pungent whiff of a goat I sat down to a cup of wonderfully pungent Turkish coffee.Flavours and tastesSmells and smellingNot pleasant to eat or drink › literary describes speech or writing that is very strongly felt: pungent criticism/commentaryCritical and uncomplimentaryStrong feelings pungency /-dʒən.si/ noun [U] › The cheeses vary in pungency.Flavours and tastesSmells and smellingNot pleasant to eat or drink pungently /-li/ adverb Flavours and tastesSmells and smellingNot pleasant to eat or drink
(Definition of pungent adjective from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
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Synonyms and related words:
- a cheap shot idiom
- aloof adjective
- astringent adjective (SEVERE)
- captious adjective
- critical adjective (NOT PLEASED)
- damning adjective
- deprecating adjective (NOT APPROVING)
- disapproving adjective
- hard-hitting adjective
- hypercritical adjective
- ill adverb
- pejorative adjective
- pointed adjective (CRITICISM)
- pointedly adverb
- scathing adjective
- sniffy adjective
- uncomplimentary adjective
- venomous adjective (HATE)
- vinegary adjective
- withering adjective
Topic:
Critical & uncomplimentary
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