distasteful

adjective

(ˌ)dis-ˈtāst-fəl How to pronounce distasteful (audio)
Definition of distastefulnext
1
as in unpalatable
disagreeable or disgusting to the sense of taste cod-liver oil is so distasteful that it's worse than anything it cures

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses concerned mothers who find some recent musical trends distasteful

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment the distasteful nature of his job as a bill collector

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distasteful Squirrels may even find the scent distasteful. — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 2 June 2026 For them, however much that one individual can spend doesn’t equate to how much the brand would lose if their best customers found that person distasteful. — Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 6 May 2026 How’s a Machiavelli in Manolo Blahniks expected to properly dictate taste in this kind of distasteful environment? — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026 For many Christians, the idea of a secular assault on religion is an ongoing concern, which is why the president remains a necessary if sometimes distasteful shield. — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for distasteful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distasteful
  1. unpalatable
  2. unpleasant
  3. disgusting
  4. unappetizing
  5. unpleasing
  6. ugly
  7. horrible
  8. harsh
Adjective
  • To be sure, raising the payroll tax might be politically unpalatable for lawmakers, who would almost certainly face pushback from businesses and employees, experts note.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 17 June 2026
  • Planing peppermint plants, garlic, and bright florals like daffodils and marigolds are options to keep squirrels away from their bright colors and unpalatable taste and odor.
    — Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 28 May 2026
Definition of unpalatable
Adjective
  • Anyone concerned about coming down with this very unpleasant sickness should avoid lettuces for the time being, says Rabia de Latour, a gastroenterologist at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 July 2026
  • Like them, his music seesaws between aggressive and playful, between crowd-pleasing and purposefully unpleasant.
    — Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • Deer-Proof Your Garden To keep your flowers from being gobbled up by deer—one of the most heartbreaking of all garden misfortunes—choose flowers that people find glorious and deer find disgusting.
    — Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
  • Where critics see disgusting piles of stuff, hoarders see more.
    — Shivali H. Patra, Mercury News, 8 July 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • Both chains suffered from serving food that appeared both inauthentic and unappetizing, unable to compete with local offerings.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 15 July 2026
  • Try adding lemon, cucumber, or mint to your water to encourage hydration if plain water in the morning feels boring or unappetizing.
    — Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 19 June 2026
Definition of unappetizing
Adjective
  • The remarks not only referred to the aesthetics of the game – tedious matches devoid of skillful merit that were unpleasing to watch.
    — Cesar R. Torres, The Conversation, 26 May 2026
  • Usually a team of elegant offense, Michigan instead clanked 13 triples off the rim and relied on its inside defensive ferocity to win a game nearly as aesthetically unpleasing as UConn’s 53-41 win over Butler in 2011.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of unpleasing
Adjective
  • The deals defined one of the ugliest chapters of Russia’s transition to capitalism in the 1990s.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
  • Leaders must be grounded in self-awareness and their influence, leaning into emotional intelligence and humility; recognizing that different styles shape how people show up amid many influences, good, bad and ugly.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • My husband holds the pamphlet close to his face in bed the next morning, my light creating a horrible glare on the glossy paper.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • The family wants to have accountability for this horrible crime.
    — Eric Shawn, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • The couple made sure the design included a basement where the kids could spend time, better insulation to handle South Dakota’s harsh weather and plenty of storage — all features their previous home lacked.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
  • Those are some of the harsh conditions that detainees in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody described experiencing in recent weeks at the Federal Detention Center, a Bureau of Prisons facility located in a concrete tower in downtown Miami.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Definition of harsh

Browse Nearby Words

distaste
distasteful
distastefulness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distasteful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distasteful. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on distasteful

Nglish: Translation of distasteful for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All