SMELL WORD · SHARP AND BITTER
Pungent
Strong, sharp food or product smells that feel immediately present.
Spanish (pilot): Penetrante · pending native-speaker review
pungent · savoury · sharp · sulfurous
Open entry →Smell entry · Type: Source / Food ExperienceOnionpungent · sharp · savoury · sulfurous
Open entry →Smell entry · Type: Food / ProductVinegarsharp · sour · acidic · pungent
Open entry →Smell entry · Type: Product / Material ExperienceGasolinesharp · volatile · industrial · sweet-solvent
Open entry →Smell entry · Type: Food / Prepared StateFried Onionssavory · warm · sweet · fried
Open entry →Smell entry · Type: Source / FoodGingerspicy · fresh · sharp · aromatic
Open entry →Smell entry · Type: Source / SpiceBlack Pepperspicy · pungent · dry · warm
Open entry →Close words
SmellBook uses “pungent” as descriptive language, not as a precise lab measurement. People can apply the same word differently depending on context and experience.
Often used with pungent
- Warm: 3 of 7 entries
- Spicy: 2 of 7 entries
- Dry: 1 of 7 entries
- Fermented: 1 of 7 entries
- Fresh: 1 of 7 entries
- Green: 1 of 7 entries
Counts of Atlas entries described by both words. They show how SmellBook's entries use the vocabulary, not how people perceive smells, and they change as entries are added. All counts (JSON)
Permanent identifier smellbook:descriptor:pungent · This record and its links as data (JSON)
Cite as SmellBook. (2026). Pungent (descriptor). SmellBook knowledge graph, dataset release of 2026-11-11. smellbook:descriptor:pungent. https://smellbook.com/descriptors/pungent
Dataset history In the SmellBook dataset since the first of three dataset releases of 2026-09-30; changed in the first of two dataset releases of 2026-10-01 (localized names).