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 Further, what would make Carlsson’s inflated salary more palatable in Philadelphia is that Briere has managed to keep salaries down for other key players. — Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 8 July 2026 Many of the costumes directly imagine a world where a rock star can feel less burdened by the concept of appearing palatable — or passing for straight — to sell mainstream records. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2026 Gwen Stefani’s seemingly subversive (but actually appropriative) pop punk palatable feminism-lite was another touchstone for Elle. — Scarlett Harris, IndieWire, 6 July 2026 And are there more moves to come that will make this stunning shakeup any more palatable for Celtics fans? — Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for palatable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for palatable

Adjective

Instead, she’s given fans a perfectly okay summer soundtrack.

— Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
When Ford was doing an F-150 Lightning, people were okay, electric trucks are happening.

— Joel Feder, The Drive, 9 July 2026

Definition of OK

Adjective

Daunt’s pool area is entirely pleasant right now, but Leo and Home have big plans for it, including the addition of a yoga area and a massage tent.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
Visual enhancements, such as a dark outline of the currently active interface element (think the search field in the Mail app), are a pleasant surprise.

— Edward Mendelson, PC Magazine, 13 July 2026

Definition of pleasant

Adjective

The Five Star Weekend follows Jennifer Garner as Hollis Shaw, a famed cook and best-selling author known for her delicious recipes, impeccable taste, and warm demeanor, who suffers a devastating loss.

— Katie Campione, Deadline, 17 July 2026
Trolly Stop in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, is a local legend known for its juicy and delicious hot dogs.

— Katie Riley, Southern Living, 17 July 2026

Definition of delicious

Adjective

That said, France were favourites in the last final and Argentina beat them, albeit by the finest of margins, recovering from the shock of Kylian Mbappe’s hat-trick before holding their nerve to win the penalty shootout.

— Oliver Kay, New York Times, 19 July 2026
The study combines fine-scale meteorology with detailed simulations of energy infrastructure.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026

Definition of fine

Adjective

Its selection even extends to name-brand favorites from Miraclesuit and Aqua, featuring tons of tasteful one-pieces, cover-ups, and more, all at rare markdowns.

— Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 July 2026
The overall aesthetic is simplistic and filled with natural light, with a tasteful (never cluttered) array of antiques and more modern furniture pieces interspersed throughout.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026

Definition of tasteful

Adjective

Olmo’s deftness of touch to set up Porro for Spain’s second goal epitomised Spain’s cultured performance on the ball, but the fact that Spain’s performance was not always aesthetically pleasing will arguably please De la Fuente more.

— Mark Carey, New York Times, 15 July 2026
The whole enterprise glows with friendly, pleasing daffiness.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 10 July 2026

Definition of pleasing

Cite this Entry

Style

“Palatable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palatable. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of palatable

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on palatable

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

raffish

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

Popular in Wordplay

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'?

Popular

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

Games & Quizzes