Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of toothsome are appetizing, palatable, savory, and tasty. While all these words mean "agreeable or pleasant especially to the sense of taste," toothsome stresses the notion of agreeableness and sometimes implies tenderness or daintiness.

an enticing array of toothsome desserts

Where would appetizing be a reasonable alternative to toothsome?

The words appetizing and toothsome can be used in similar contexts, but appetizing suggests a whetting of the appetite and applies to aroma and appearance as well as taste.

appetizing hors d'oeuvres

When can palatable be used instead of toothsome?

While the synonyms palatable and toothsome are close in meaning, palatable often applies to something that is found to be merely agreeable.

butterflies that birds find palatable

When is savory a more appropriate choice than toothsome?

While in some cases nearly identical to toothsome, 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 toothsome?

In some situations, the words tasty and toothsome are roughly equivalent. However, tasty implies a pronounced taste.

a tart and tasty pie

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 toothsome Top spots like Tamuraya and Menya Yosuke serve toothsome bowls with rich broths, handmade wontons, and melt-in-your-mouth pork belly. Kim Kay, Travel + Leisure, 14 Sep. 2025 His Sesame Sweet Potato and Cabbage Burger is soft yet toothsome from shredded sweet potatoes and cabbage, and spiced perfectly with a pinch of cayenne, which cuts through the hearty veggies. Ben Mims, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2023 All the prepared bites were quickly claimed, leaving bare a lush display of toothsome raw vegetables. Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2022 The star red of my tasting was the 2019 vintage of this lithe, toothsome Cinsault. Lettie Teague, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 This version was vegetarian (though it’s often punctuated with salted beef or pork), a hearty mix of potatoes, carrots, wilted spinach-esque callaloo and toothsome dumplings. Nevin Martell, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2022 For her version of southern Italian anelletti al forno, Rodriguez’s pasta team braids strands of dough by hand into perfect, toothsome rings—all the better looking and for catching tiny bites of escarole and braised pork cheek. Caroline Hatchett, Robb Report, 1 July 2022 Reward yourself with a bowl of polpette (meatballs) smothered in parmesan sauce and passatelli, a toothsome local noodle speciality made from parmesan, breadcrumbs, and egg. Adam H. Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2021 Then indulge in a plat de côtes de boeuf braisés, tender braised short ribs flanked by potato mousse and drizzled with cabernet syrup, or the equally toothsome mushroom and gruyere omelet. Joanna O'Leary, Chron, 14 June 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for toothsome
Adjective
  • Our Test Kitchen pros are always developing delicious pasta recipes, but this One-Pot Spaghetti has become extra famous around the office.
    Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Smoothies are a delicious treat that's creamy, cold and full of flavor.
    Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Covetable, must-have pieces from Jonathan Anderson’s Dior, Michael Rider’s Celine, and Chanel under Matthieu Blazy’s direction felt fresh and desirable.
    Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
  • And, said Karr, teaching in Indiana’s current political atmosphere makes the job even less desirable.
    Tory Basile, IndyStar, 7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • German scientists in the 1920s used heat and pressure to turn gas into liquid or solid hydrocarbons, and a chemist at Sunoco injected oxygen into those solids to create edible fats in the 1930s.
    Megan Sauer, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
  • While the competitors enter as individuals, their goal will be to get on– and stay on– the strongest team by any means necessary, because in this game the bakers must create incredible edible works of art to grow their teams and avoid elimination.
    Jennifer Maas, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The concern isn’t a woman baking in her finest pearls or wanting to be sexy — that is fine, and she should be allowed to do that, Zayer said.
    Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
  • The record is filled with sexy dance-pop bangers and finds Khalid — for the first time in his career — using he/him pronouns when discussing paramours in his lyrics.
    Jeff Nelson, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • As in, water not hot or not hot enough for sanitization.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
  • The Lions are the NFL’s hottest team, with a four-game winning streak, and own the NFL’s best record at 31-8 since the start of the 2023 season.
    Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Toothsome.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/toothsome. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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