acquired taste

noun

: something or someone that is not easily or immediately liked or appreciated

Examples of acquired taste in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Tatras are an automotive outlier and an acquired taste, but connoisseurs of design find few cars are as engaging and as historically significant as those made by the Czechoslovakian marque. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2023 Something of an acquired taste, this scatological stop-motion oddity from Netherlands centers on a sausage-making contest and the pet piglet destined for the meat grinder. Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 Dec. 2022 An acquired taste, sure, but it’s also one of the most versatile cocktail ingredients in our liquid arsenal. Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 19 Nov. 2022 Coffee is an acquired taste, whether it’s made from the cheapest robusta pebbles or the finest Ethiopian arabica. Alina Simone, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2022 The medal-winning Helles Rauchbier is an acquired taste, smelling and tasting like a campfire — albeit in a bright, tidy and refreshing package. Josh Noel, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2022 After 60 days, the flavor can get a little funky, and that’s an acquired taste. Chuck Blount, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Sep. 2021 Not mom’s spaghetti, but an acquired taste of something more like dessert, with sauce like chunky tomato pancake syrup. Mike Sutter, ExpressNews.com, 21 Jan. 2021 Wings and burgers have become such an integral part of American cuisine that many would argue for their inherent value, rather than see them as acquired tastes by virtue of their abundance. Liz Specht, WIRED, 19 Aug. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acquired taste.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1792, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of acquired taste was circa 1792

Dictionary Entries Near acquired taste

Cite this Entry

“Acquired taste.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acquired%20taste. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

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