as in piquancy
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Recent Examples of spiciness
Its Timur pepper offers a spiciness for an unexpected twist.
—
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2025
The eau de parfum has a warm spiciness that feels inviting, not cloying.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 18 Dec. 2025
The flavors of the palak paneer are perfectly balanced and medium spiciness brings just enough heat (for me).
—Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 5 Dec. 2025
Basically, hop bitterness, roast malt, carbonation and alcohol can all balance sweetness and fatty richness in food, and the malty sweetness in certain beers can balance the acidity and hot spiciness of foods with those characteristics.
—Jay R. Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2025
Led by Weijun Deng from the Shanghai Institute of Technology, a team of scientists set about replicating that action in a device that could be used to objectively gauge the spiciness of foods.
—New Atlas, 21 Nov. 2025
Perhaps because tomato juice is nutritious, packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and the spiciness can induce a sweat, which, as people like to believe, rids the body of poisons.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
Cooking or pickling peppers in vinegar may tone down their spiciness.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
Options include the original Wendy’s Signature creamy sauce with just a hint of spiciness, sweet chili, and a Scorchin’ Hot, perfect for washing down with a Frosty.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiciness
Noun
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The man whom Navarro likes to call the Boss seems to value insincere, or bought, obeisance—the flapping and fussing of a maître d’—more than heartfelt fandom, which lacks the piquancy of humiliation.—
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And a jicama salad is my personal favorite, balancing heat in piquancy and chill in temperature.—
Noun
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The hard edges and pungency of a relatively cheap, unaged spirit were far less visible in the Viriato samples.—
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This historic two-game parlay of pungency followed up a classic, a double-overtime loss to Oregon, back when Franklin’s inability to beat high-ranking opponents was his biggest problem.—
Noun
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Lemon pepper wings are an acclaimed Atlanta creation, with a seasoning made from lemon zest, salt, and black pepper.—
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Add the oil to the barley along with the lemon zest and juice; toss.—
Noun
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This quintessential New Orleans cocktail, the Sazerac, has a beautiful spice character from the rye whiskey, compared to an Old Fashioned that would use the sweeter bourbon.—
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Many chili recipes can get out of control, calling for a long list of spices, but this one delivers big flavors by calling for the perfect amounts of just the right ones.—
Noun
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But hotness isn’t only aesthetics.—
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Duplenticy’s tattoo serves a similar function, signaling both his hotness and his capacity for change.—
Noun
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Slightly pink in color (primarily from Tabasco and cayenne) and beautifully glossy, the sauce is tongue-pinching sour but immediately melds into a complex blend of heat, tang, and umami.—
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Feta adds a tang to the sweetness of honeydew melon.—
Noun
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The whole thing crunches, melts, zings and primes the taste buds for more.—
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But perhaps the easiest way to integrate the delicacy into meals is through a dill pickle mustard, which can be squeezed and spread onto proteins but also folded into dishes like potato salad for an extra zing.—
Cite this Entry
“Spiciness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiciness. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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