juicy

juicy — adjective

1. describes food that releases a lot of liquid when cut or bitten into, which adds

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes food that releases a lot of liquid when cut or bitten into, which adds to the eating pleasure — like a perfectly cooked steak, a ripe pear, or a fresh orange slice

Example

The steak was perfectly cooked and turned out incredibly juicy on the plate.

collocation: juicy + steak / meat / fruit

Feng picked the juiciest mangoes he could find at the morning market.

Common collocations
  • juicy steak
  • juicy fruit
  • juicy peach
  • juicy burger
  • juicy mango
Synonyms
  • succulent

    more formal and often used for cooked meat or vegetables

  • tender

    describes meat that is easy to cut, not specifically about juice content

Antonyms
  • dry

    the opposite of juicy for food

  • bland

    lacking flavour, often also lacking moisture

Grammar Patterns

juicy + noun (steak / fruit / orange / burger)

2. used about news, stories, or information that is exciting because it reveals som

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

used about news, stories, or information that is exciting because it reveals something shocking, private, or scandalous about someone — especially the kind of detail people love to share

Example

The blog posted a juicy story about the senator's secret meeting.

informal register: describes scandalous information

Sivan leaned in and whispered all the juicy details of the breakup.

collocation: juicy + details

Common collocations
  • juicy story
  • juicy gossip
  • juicy detail
  • juicy rumor
  • juicy secret
Synonyms
  • scandalous

    stronger — emphasises moral outrage rather than entertainment

  • shocking

    broader — can describe any surprising information, not only personal gossip

  • titillating

    more formal and focuses on arousing curiosity, often with sexual undertones

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

juicy + (story / detail / rumor / secret)

Usage Note

This sense is informal and common in casual conversation, gossip, and tabloid-style media. Avoid using it in formal or professional writing.

Common Mistakes

The business report contained many juicy statistics about market growth.
The business report contained many interesting statistics about market growth.
'juicy' implies scandal or personal gossip, not neutral or positive data.

3. describes an opportunity, job, contract, or sum of money that is very attractive

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes an opportunity, job, contract, or sum of money that is very attractive because it is profitable, big, or desirable

Example

Christopher landed a juicy contract with the biggest advertising agency in town.

informal register: describes a profitable business opportunity

The actor turned down several smaller films before a juicy role finally came along.

Common collocations
  • juicy contract
  • juicy deal
  • juicy salary
  • juicy bonus
  • juicy role
Synonyms
  • lucrative

    more formal and focuses specifically on financial gain

  • plum

    primarily British, describes a highly desirable job or position

  • fat

    slang, describes a large amount of money, e.g. 'a fat paycheck'

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

juicy + (contract / deal / salary / bonus / role)

Usage Note

Informal. Very common in business and career contexts. Can describe anything from a salary package to a real estate deal or a movie role.

4. contains sexual content or strong sexual appeal, often in a way that is mildly s

4.adjectiveC1
Definition

contains sexual content or strong sexual appeal, often in a way that is mildly shocking or exciting — used about movies, jokes, stories, or descriptions that are suggestive

Example

The film was cut by the censors because of its juiciest scenes.

register: informal, sometimes considered inappropriate

João blushed when his uncle told a particularly juicy joke at dinner.

collocation: juicy + joke / scene / passage

Common collocations
  • juicy scene
  • juicy joke
  • juicy passage
  • juicy story
Synonyms
  • racy

    very similar in meaning and register, perhaps slightly less strong

  • steamy

    emphasises passionate or erotic content, often used for romantic scenes

  • risqué

    borrowed from French, implies slightly shocking but in a playful way

Antonyms
  • wholesome

    morally good and clean, no sexual content

  • tame

    mild and unexciting, lacking sexual charge

Grammar Patterns

juicy + (scene / joke / passage / story)

Usage Note

Informal and can be considered inappropriate in polite conversation. Weaker than 'explicit' or 'pornographic' but still carries a clear sexual suggestion. Use with caution.

Word family

  • juice
    nounA1
  • juicier
    adjectiveB1
  • juiciest
    adjectiveB1
  • juiciness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe food that is pleasing to eat, but they differ in focus and formality. Juicy is the most common and direct word, used when a food releases liquid when cut or bitten — a juicy orange or a juicy steak. Succulent is more formal and often describes cooked food that is tender and full of flavour, especially roasted meat or vegetables. Tender focuses specifically on how easy it is to cut or chew, not necessarily on juice content; a tender piece of chicken might not be juicy. Luscious is more poetic and implies richness of flavour and texture, often used for fruits or desserts. For everyday conversation, juicy is the safest choice. For restaurant reviews, succulent or luscious can add variety. Example: 'The steak was juicy and full of flavour' vs 'The vegetables were succulent and perfectly roasted.'

succulenttender ↗lusciousmoist ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Juicy is formed from the noun 'juice' (from Old French 'jus', meaning liquid obtained from fruits or meat, which in turn comes from Latin 'jus' meaning broth or juice) plus the adjective-forming suffix '-y' (meaning 'full of' or 'characterised by'). The literal meaning 'full of juice' has been in use since the 15th century. The figurative meanings emerged much later: 'scandalous or titillating' in the 1880s, 'lucrative or profitable' in 1920s American English, and 'sexually suggestive' by the early 20th century.