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sharp-tasting

sharp-tasting

3.9
A strong, slightly sour taste like in aged cheese or salad dressing
  • adjective
translation icon : picante
  • We paired the sharp-tasting cheese with a sweet fruit to balance the flavors.

Examples

  • The sharp-tasting lemon juice added a refreshing zing to the dish.

  • Jackie Velasquez's mac 'n' cheese recipe is a secret, but we do know that she uses three kinds of cheese, and they add up to create this sharp-tasting fried mac 'n' cheese.

    Blog text (6)
  • It was sweet and sharp-tasting, and bitter through and through.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • His sharp-tasting homemade salsa was too spicy for some guests.

Synonyms

bitter
vssharp-tasting
81 1.0

Having a sharp, unpleasant taste that is not sweet

is similar but often includes sour or pungent notes rather than pure acridity
sour
vssharp-tasting
61 1.0

Having a sharp taste like lemon or vinegar

is similar but may also imply bitterness or a more intense pungent flavor
pungent
vssharp-tasting
18 4.8

Having a strong, sharp smell or taste that can be unpleasant

is strong too but usually less harsh and more mildly sour or bitter
tangy
vssharp-tasting
15 3.6

A strong, pleasantly sour taste like lemon

includes stronger bitter or intense tastes beyond the pleasant sourness
acidic
vssharp-tasting
4 3.5

Tasting sharp and sour like lemon or vinegar

is often also pungent or bitter rather than only sour
tart
vssharp-tasting
3 2.2

Having a sharp, sour taste like a lemon

is broader and can include bitter or pungent qualities besides tartness
piquant
vssharp-tasting
3 7.4

A sharp tasty flavor that makes food more interesting

is more neutral and can include sour or bitter notes that are less agreeable
astringent
vssharp-tasting
  • Specialized
1 7.8

A sharp sour or bitter taste that makes your mouth pucker

is more about taste itself rather than causing mouth puckering
sharpish
vssharp-tasting
  • UK
6.0

A little strong in taste or smell, like lemon

is usually stronger, more intense and often more sour or bitter
acidulous
vssharp-tasting
9.6

Slightly sour in taste or tone

is often stronger and may include pungent or very noticeable flavors
acid-tasting
vssharp-tasting
3.9

Having a sharp, sour taste like lemon or vinegar

is broader and can include bitter or pungent notes besides sourness
acid
vssharp-tasting
1.7

Tasting sour and sharp like lemon

is broader, adding pungent or bitter sensations beyond plain sourness
sour-tasting
vssharp-tasting
1.0

Tasting sharp and like lemon or vinegar

is broader and can mean pungent or bitter as well as tartness
strong-flavored
vssharp-tasting
4.0

Having a very powerful taste that you notice right away, like cheese or coffee

is more specific to sour or bitter notes rather than any intense taste

Antonyms

23 2.0

Food that has a very weak taste and little or no strong flavor

11 2.6

Having little or no flavor when you eat it

How Sharp-Tasting

pungent
18 4.8
sharp-tasting
3.9
sour
4 1.0
tangy
15 3.6
mild
107 1.0
bland
23 2.0

Surface Forms

sharp-tasting positive

Morphology

sharp-tasting = sharp + tasting (transparent) = sharp + taste + ing

Formed as a compound of 'sharp' + 'tasting' (itself 'taste' + '-ing'), and the meaning is directly the quality of having a sharp taste.

Etymology

Sharp-tasting comes from sharp, which long ago meant 'cutting' or 'pointed'. Just like a sharp knife cuts, a sharp taste seems to 'cut' or 'bite' the mouth, so sharp-tasting describes a strong, slightly sour or biting flavor.