PALATABLE Synonyms: 221 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'palatable' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of palatable are appetizing , savory , tasty , and toothsome . While all these words mean "agreeable or pleasant especially to the sense of taste," palatable often applies to something that is found to be merely agreeable. // butterflies that birds find palatable

Q: When could 'appetizing' be used to replace 'palatable'?

In some situations, the words appetizing and palatable are roughly equivalent. However, appetizing suggests a whetting of the appetite and applies to aroma and appearance as well as taste. // appetizing hors d'oeuvres

Q: When would 'savory' be a good substitute for 'palatable'?

The meanings of savory and palatable largely overlap; however, savory applies to both taste and aroma and suggests piquancy and often spiciness. // dumplings with savory fillings

Q: When is it sensible to use 'tasty' instead of 'palatable'?

The words tasty and palatable can be used in similar contexts, but tasty implies a pronounced taste. // a tart and tasty pie

Q: In what contexts can 'toothsome' take the place of 'palatable'?

While the synonyms toothsome and palatable are close in meaning, toothsome stresses the notion of agreeableness and sometimes implies tenderness or daintiness. // an enticing array of toothsome desserts

palatable

adjective

ˈpa-lə-tə-bəl

Definition of palatable

as in OK

being to one's liking I did not find the idea of moving again very palatable

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in pleasant

giving pleasure or contentment to the mind or senses I always associate the palatable aroma of roasting turkey with Thanksgiving

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in delicious

very pleasing to the sense of taste the vegetarian version of that classic dish turned out to be equally palatable

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word palatable different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of palatable are appetizing, savory, tasty, and toothsome. While all these words mean "agreeable or pleasant especially to the sense of taste," palatable often applies to something that is found to be merely agreeable.

butterflies that birds find palatable

When could appetizing be used to replace palatable?

In some situations, the words appetizing and palatable are roughly equivalent. However, appetizing suggests a whetting of the appetite and applies to aroma and appearance as well as taste.

appetizing hors d'oeuvres

When would savory be a good substitute for palatable?

The meanings of savory and palatable largely overlap; however, savory applies to both taste and aroma and suggests piquancy and often spiciness.

dumplings with savory fillings

When is it sensible to use tasty instead of palatable?

The words tasty and palatable can be used in similar contexts, but tasty implies a pronounced taste.

a tart and tasty pie

In what contexts can toothsome take the place of palatable?

While the synonyms toothsome and palatable are close in meaning, toothsome stresses the notion of agreeableness and sometimes implies tenderness or daintiness.

an enticing array of toothsome desserts

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 palatable Companies have plenty of incentives to make that advertising palatable to consumers, but Ireland believes ads will play a role one way or another. — Allison Johnson, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026 My task was to comment on which might be most palatable—or least offensive—to the fair’s usual client base. — Simon Denny, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 Manning, Moore, Carr, Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin can put the league on hold for another year, with name, image and likeness money making that delay more palatable. — Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026 Butternut squash skins are in the middle; some people may find the roasted skin palatable, but others will not. — Bridget Shirvell, Martha Stewart, 13 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for palatable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for palatable

Adjective

And while the ports looked okay, only the exhaust side passed a vacuum test.

— Stephen Edelstein, The Drive, 31 Oct. 2026
CoreWeave, Nebius, and anyone that has backing or backstops from one of the major labs, hyperscalers, Nvidia, or Broadcom is going to be okay.

— Nilay Patel, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of OK

Adjective

Afternoons should be mild and mostly sunny, with lower humidity making outdoor plans more pleasant.

— Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 2 Nov. 2026
As Los Angeles became more crowded and less pleasant a place to live, the high-handedness of Southern California developers and officialdom occasionally got those hands slapped.

— Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of pleasant

Adjective

This recipe for double crust apple pie delivers a mix of tart and sweet along with cinnamon that is crispy, delicious and is worth the indulgence.

— Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Refrigerated tortellini is one of the fastest ways to turn plain broth into a satiating, delicious meal.

— Danielle Bouchard, Martha Stewart, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of delicious

Adjective

As a Relais & Chateaux property, fine dining takes center stage.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
The two designers have launched a collaboration featuring 18-karat yellow gold and diamond button studs and collar tips created for Savas’ signature Allen denim shirt, bringing together fine jewelry craftsmanship and American workwear.

— Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of fine

Adjective

In This Article There are occasions that call for heirloom china and sparkling crystal, but a truly gracious host knows that the most enjoyable gatherings aren’t necessarily the ones with the finest things, but rather, a relaxed environment.

— Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2026
Season four is the most enjoyable The Gilded Age has ever been, but wringing every ounce of pleasure out of the experience requires a willingness to approach this show with the right mind-set.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of enjoyable

Adjective

John’s overall verdict was that the Beats Pill provides a potent mix at a pleasing price—made even more satisfying with this 33% discount at Amazon.

— Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Meta has collaborated with Kylie Jenner and Ray-Ban to make their controversial AI glasses more aesthetically pleasing, and real robots are closer than ever before to the world of fashion.

— Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of pleasing

Cite this Entry

Style

“Palatable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palatable. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of palatable

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fulsome

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes