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 next

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 That in turn could make the expansion of AI, which relies heavily on data centers, more palatable to the public. —

Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 18 May 2026 But his chairmanship’s suffocating high interest rates created a palatable cure. —

Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 15 May 2026 The Professionalism Trap There is a difference between being professional and being palatable, and most personal brands have confused the two. —

Victoria Chynoweth, Rolling Stone, 12 May 2026 And yet, according to team and league sources, running it back with a mostly similar roster isn’t a palatable option. —

Dan Woike, New York Times, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for palatable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for palatable

Adjective

Somebody else saw something else or had a different experience, but everything else looked okay on the surface.

— Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 4 June 2026
As my son Wes aptly said, the moral of the story is that some democrats seem okay with Nazi symbolism but not a Jewish state.

— Doug Friednash, Denver Post, 3 June 2026