fragrant
gb/fɹˈeɪɡɹənt/ us/fɹˈeɪɡɹənt/
B1
English
~ 6300
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
having a pleasant, sweet smell
Having a nice, pleasant smell.
Usage pattern:
fragrant [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "fragrant" for bad smells, but in modern English "fragrant" is almost always positive. For bad smells, use words like "smelly", "stinky", or "foul-smelling". Some learners also confuse the spelling with "fragment" (a small piece of something).
Synonyms
aromatic (Often used for foods, herbs, and spices with a strong pleasant smell; slightly more technical or formal.)
|
sweet-smelling (Emphasizes a sugary or very soft pleasant smell; slightly more informal and descriptive.)
Antonyms
smelly (Informal; suggests an unpleasant or strong bad smell.)
|
foul-smelling (Stronger and more negative than "smelly", often used for very unpleasant odors.)
Collocations
fragrant flowers
|fragrant herbs
|fragrant spices
|fragrant oil
|fragrant smoke
|delicately fragrant
Themes
daily life
|food
|nature
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She filled the room with fragrant roses from her garden.
- The kitchen was warm and fragrant with baking bread.
- A fragrant cloud of perfume followed him into the elevator.
- We walked through a forest of tall, fragrant pine trees.
- The tea was light and fragrant, with a hint of jasmine.
Learner examples
- The garden is full of fragrant flowers.
- This soap is very soft and fragrant.
- I love the fragrant smell of fresh coffee.
- Her hair was fragrant after she washed it.
- The room became fragrant when he lit the candle.
adjective
literary
C1
property
2
strongly filled with a quality
Strongly full of a feeling, memory, or quality, like air full of a smell.
Usage pattern:
fragrant with [abstract noun]
Common mistake:
Learners may not recognize this figurative, literary use and may try to read it literally, as if something must physically smell good. In phrases like "fragrant with memories", the word describes a strong emotional or atmospheric quality, not an actual smell.
Synonyms
evocative (Common literary word for something that strongly brings memories or feelings to mind; does not carry the smell image as strongly.)
|
redolent (Formal/literary; can be both literal (smelling of) and figurative (strongly suggestive of).)
Antonyms
bland (Suggests something that does not create strong feelings or memories; emotionally or atmospherically weak.)
|
uninspiring (Lacks power to create feelings, images, or memories; opposite of this rich, suggestive use of "fragrant".)
Collocations
fragrant with nostalgia
|fragrant with memories
|fragrant with romance
|fragrant with history
Themes
literature
|emotions
|memory
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The old house was fragrant with memories of their childhood summers.
- Her writing is fragrant with nostalgia for a slower, simpler life.
- The ceremony was fragrant with tradition and quiet dignity.
Learner examples
- The song is fragrant with memories for him.
- The story is fragrant with old love and hope.
- The letter is fragrant with sadness and beauty.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fragrant
IPA
GB/fɹˈeɪɡɹənt/
US/fɹˈeɪɡɹənt/
Syllables & stress
fra - grant (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fra)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: fragrant
Word family
Core family
fragrance
noun B1
fragrantly
adverb
Expressions
fragrant with
1/fɹˈeɪɡɹənt wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
literary
filled with a pleasant smell of
Used to say that a place, air, or thing has a strong, pleasant smell because of something.
Examples
- The kitchen was fragrant with garlic and fresh herbs.
- The night air was fragrant with orange blossoms.
- The room was fragrant with the sharp scent of pine.