Which word means sharp and irritating to the sense?

• A. Quiescent
• B. Pungent
• C. Rarefy
• D. Repudiate

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is matching a word to a sensory description. Pungent is the term that describes a sharp, biting scent or taste that can irritate the senses. It conveys that strong, often unpleasant intensity you notice in odors or flavors. For example, ammonia has a pungent odor that quickly pricks the nose. The other words describe unrelated ideas: quiescent means at rest or inactive, rarefy means to make thinner or less dense, and repudiate means to reject. So pungent is the best fit for “sharp and irritating to the sense.”