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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

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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 In this case, that will be for eight hours every day — as spreadsheets are suddenly made more palatable thanks to its underhand plushness. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025 While selling has never been this palatable, it must still be done right; one striker must arrive if Alexander Isak is to finally head to Merseyside. Harry De Cosemo, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025 But some losses, apparently, matter more than others — are more palatable or interesting than others. Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025 But at that point, Blankenship was far past caring whether or not her platform was palatable to others. Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for palatable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palatable
Adjective
  • Room for two, a supple ride, a gorgeous view over a curved hood, perfect flow of air up and over the windshield and cockpit with virtually no backsplash to disrupt pleasant conversation, and the ability at any time to experience a rush of power and speed when the moment calls.
    Mark Ewing, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Enfield is a pleasant, unremarkable suburb of north London.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The Bitter Mai is also, improbably, absolutely delicious.
    Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Stanway plays in Kelly on the left wing, who delivers a delicious ball for Russo to head home.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But 10 days into our Patagonian adventure, a little water—okay, a lot of water—wasn’t enough to deter us from heading out on a Zodiac tour around the Tucker Islets, a small cluster of islands and outcrops in the Strait of Magellan inhabited primarily by Magellanic penguins.
    Stefanie Waldek, AFAR Media, 12 Sep. 2025
  • But one thing is for sure – political violence is never okay.
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • His commercials have graced Southwest Ohio TVs over the last two decades and inspired Reddit posts, Halloween costumes and even a surprisingly enjoyable lo-fi musical remix on YouTube.
    Otto Rabe, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The best and most enjoyable habit to maintain a healthy, thriving garden is a daily garden walk.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Stepping into the spa, guests will find themselves in a minimalist space bathed in calming neutral tones and peppered with tasteful wood and gold accents.
    Asa Canty, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The place is illuminated by skylights and furnished with tasteful vintage pieces.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The sharp-yet-flexible points and buildable tint leave behind a trio of micro-fine strokes that, when brushed along your arches, blend seamlessly with your natural hairs.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Before all that happened, though, there was the eight-course dinner, which went totally fine as predicted.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Material to be covered includes choosing the right camera, choosing compatible accessories and techniques to produce pleasing night sky photographs.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Among the many pleasing on-screen personalities who join Levy en route are Rahul Dravid, former Indian cricketer famed as one of the greatest batsmen in the game’s history, and Eric Nam, an American singer, songwriter and actor based in South Korea.
    Laura Manske, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • All species produce edible fruits and gorgeous red to red-orange fall foliage.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The edible lipstick is a replica of Doja Cat’s signature MAC shade, Lady Danger.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Palatable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palatable. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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