insipid

in·sip·id

adjective \in-ˈsi-pəd\

Definition of INSIPID

1

: lacking taste or savor : tasteless <insipid food>

2

: lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge : dull, flat <insipid prose>

— in·si·pid·i·ty \ˌin-sə-ˈpi-də-tē\ noun

— in·sip·id·ly \in-ˈsi-pəd-lē\ adverb

Examples of INSIPID

1. The soup was rather insipid.
2. <an apple pie with a mushy, insipid filling that strongly resembled soggy cardboard>
3. While it is fashionable to write off that decade as an insipid time, one long pajama party, the '50s, in sport at least, were a revolutionary age. —Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 27 Dec. 1999–31 Jan. 2000
4. I'd climbed and fished in the emptiest reaches of the American West, but Alaska made the wilds of the lower 48 seem insipid and tame, a toothless simulacrum. —Jon Krakauer, Smithsonian, June 1995
5. By contrast, what we know as “popular” or “mass” culture has always conformed to the most insipid prejudices, and the least subtle formulations, of society. —Joyce Carol Oates, The Profane Art, 1983
6. One evening, over beers, Rasala complained about some insipid movie recently shown on TV. —Tracy Kidder, The Soul of a New Machine, 1981

Origin of INSIPID

French & Late Latin; French insipide, from Late Latin insipidus, from Latin in- + sapidus savory, from sapere to taste — more at sage

First Known Use: 1609

Related to INSIPID

Synonyms

dead, flat, flavorless, savorless, tasteless, unsavory

Antonyms

flavorful, flavorsome, sapid, savory (also savoury), tasteful, tasty

Related Words

bland, dilute, thin, watery, weak; plain, unflavored

Near Antonyms

disgusting, distasteful, loathsome, sickening, unappetizing, unpalatable; cloying, mawkish; appetizing, delectable, delicious, palatable, toothsome; keen, piquant, seasoned, spicy; flavored; heavy, rich

Synonym Discussion of INSIPID

insipid, vapid, flat, jejune, banal, inane mean devoid of qualities that make for spirit and character. insipid implies a lack of sufficient taste or savor to please or interest <an insipid romance with platitudes on every page>. vapid suggests a lack of liveliness, force, or spirit <an exciting story given a vapid treatment>. flat applies to things that have lost their sparkle or zest <although well-regarded in its day, the novel now seems flat>. jejune suggests a lack of rewarding or satisfying substance <a jejune and gassy speech>. banal stresses the complete absence of freshness, novelty, or immediacy <a banal tale of unrequited love>. inane implies a lack of any significant or convincing quality <an inane interpretation of the play>.