1
: any of various aromatic vegetable products (such as pepper or nutmeg) used to season or flavor foods
2
a
archaic
: a small portion, quantity, or admixture : dash
b
: something that gives zest or relish
variety's the very spice of life—
William Cowper
William Cowper3
: a pungent or fragrant odor : perfume
spiced; spicing
1
: to season with spices
2
: to add zest or relish to
cynicism spiced with humor—J. W. Dawson
—often used with up
J. W. DawsonSynonyms
Examples of spice in a Sentence
Noun
The soup needs a little more spice.
a cologne for men that captures all of the spice of the sea
Verb
I spiced the chicken with ginger.
spice the stew with more pepper
Recent Examples on the WebLynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
If counter space is scarce, look no further than your refrigerator for a new place to store spices.
—Ali Faccenda, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
The end result doesn’t drink like a bottled version of this cocktail, but all the elements are there with notes of baking spice, black pepper, vanilla, red berries, and, of course, bitters and cherry.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2024
Whiskey is swapped with Bourbon for a Southern take, and lemon juice, orange bitters, star anise, and ginger-honey simple syrup infuse this cocktail with citrus, sweetness, and spice.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2024
The minister replied contemptuously that ballet dancers were like saffron — the most expensive spice — on hospital food, an extravagance.
—Brian Seibert, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Instead, swap out salt for fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon juice, or spice blends.
—Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 24 Mar. 2024
It’s also found in other spices, such as dill and parsley.
—Sarah Cottrell, Parents, 22 Mar. 2024
The herb is most readily available as a spice or supplement.
—Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 24 Mar. 2024
Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2024
Tweens can watch movies with the family, play video games with friends, or watch the game on Sundays in an innovative way that’s sure to spice up any gathering.
—Deanna McCormack, Parents, 19 Mar. 2024
So keep scrolling to browse more like hers to spice up your outfit for any occasion.
—Kayla Blanton, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024
After an agonizingly long shortage, Sriracha lovers relished the news that the wildly popular Huy Fong Foods rooster bottles were reappearing on grocery store shelves and restaurant tables to once again spice up steaming bowls of pho and ramen.
—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024
So, spice things up, the pastabilities are endless.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024
For example, combos are performed with a single button, with some charge and directional attacks to spice things up.
—PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024
At the 2024 Super Bowl, Taylor Swift amped up her ponytail with a braid along the side of her head, while Lana Condor spiced up her Paris Fashion Week look with two face-framing twists.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024
To spice things up, Bass had switched over to the Backstreet Boys team, while McLean played alongside the guys of *NSYNC.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2024
Noun
The dense seeds require a good amount of seasoning, so don’t be shy with your spices and aromatics.
—Lynda Balslev, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
If counter space is scarce, look no further than your refrigerator for a new place to store spices.
—Ali Faccenda, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
The end result doesn’t drink like a bottled version of this cocktail, but all the elements are there with notes of baking spice, black pepper, vanilla, red berries, and, of course, bitters and cherry.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 2 Apr. 2024
Whiskey is swapped with Bourbon for a Southern take, and lemon juice, orange bitters, star anise, and ginger-honey simple syrup infuse this cocktail with citrus, sweetness, and spice.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2024
The minister replied contemptuously that ballet dancers were like saffron — the most expensive spice — on hospital food, an extravagance.
—Brian Seibert, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2024
Instead, swap out salt for fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon juice, or spice blends.
—Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 24 Mar. 2024
It’s also found in other spices, such as dill and parsley.
—Sarah Cottrell, Parents, 22 Mar. 2024
The herb is most readily available as a spice or supplement.
—Cynthia Sass, Mph, Health, 24 Mar. 2024
Verb
And, there's also some subtle color-blocking happening on the outsoles to help spice up your favorite travel outfits.
—Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2024
Tweens can watch movies with the family, play video games with friends, or watch the game on Sundays in an innovative way that’s sure to spice up any gathering.
—Deanna McCormack, Parents, 19 Mar. 2024
So keep scrolling to browse more like hers to spice up your outfit for any occasion.
—Kayla Blanton, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024
After an agonizingly long shortage, Sriracha lovers relished the news that the wildly popular Huy Fong Foods rooster bottles were reappearing on grocery store shelves and restaurant tables to once again spice up steaming bowls of pho and ramen.
—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024
So, spice things up, the pastabilities are endless.
—Michael Schneider, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024
For example, combos are performed with a single button, with some charge and directional attacks to spice things up.
—PCMAG, 21 Mar. 2024
At the 2024 Super Bowl, Taylor Swift amped up her ponytail with a braid along the side of her head, while Lana Condor spiced up her Paris Fashion Week look with two face-framing twists.
—Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024
To spice things up, Bass had switched over to the Backstreet Boys team, while McLean played alongside the guys of *NSYNC.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spice.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near spice
Cite this Entry
“Spice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spice. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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