saltier; saltiest
1
a
: of, seasoned with, or containing salt
salty foods
b
: being, inducing, or marked by the one of the five basic taste sensations that is suggestive of seawater compare bitter entry 1 sense 1a, sour entry 1 sense 1, sweet entry 1 sense 1, umami entry 2
2
: smacking of the sea or nautical life
4
informal
: feeling or showing resentment towards a person or situation : bitter
I completely forgot about our date and left my girlfriend waiting at the restaurant for over an hour. Now she's all salty.—
Nicole Lane
Nicole LaneThey made me shave my beard and cover up my tattoos, which I was a little salty about.—Jon Niccum
Jon Niccum
: the taste sensation that is suggestive of seawater compare bitter entry 2 sense 1b, sour entry 2 sense 1b, sweet entry 3 sense 2, umami entry 1
Examples of salty in a Sentence
Adjective
I think the soup tastes salty.
salty sea water is safe to swim in, but you really shouldn't swallow it
Recent Examples on the Web
Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 17 May 2025
Avoid acidic, salty, spicy, crunchy, or hard foods that can irritate your mouth or cause minor injuries that can trigger canker sores.
—Sarah Jividen, Health, 17 May 2025
Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Friendly Farms Cottage Cheese Most tasters felt that this cottage cheese was sweet while some felt that its curds were a little salty.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for salty
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Adjective
Vlasic Kosher Dill Spears Dill pickles can range in taste from salty to tangy and sour, and these pickles fell on the more sour range of that spectrum.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 17 May 2025
Avoid acidic, salty, spicy, crunchy, or hard foods that can irritate your mouth or cause minor injuries that can trigger canker sores.
—Sarah Jividen, Health, 17 May 2025
Noun
Real Parmigiano Reggiano has a distinct flavor—savory, nutty, and just a little salty.
—Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Friendly Farms Cottage Cheese Most tasters felt that this cottage cheese was sweet while some felt that its curds were a little salty.
—Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for salty
Cite this Entry
“Salty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/salty. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
salty
adjective
saltier; saltiest
1
: seasoned with or containing salt : tasting of or like salt
2
: having the flavor of or suggesting the sea or things related to the sea
3
: racy entry 1 sense 2
a salty remark
saltiness
noun
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