taste

1 of 2

verb

ˈtāst

tasted; tasting

Synonyms of taste next

transitive verb

: to ascertain the flavor of by taking a little into the mouth

: to eat or drink especially in small quantities

: to perceive or recognize as if by the sense of taste

: to become acquainted with by experience

has tasted the frustration of defeat

archaic : appreciate, enjoy

intransitive verb

: to have a specific flavor

the apple tastes sour

: to eat or drink a little

: to test the flavor of something by taking a small part into the mouth

: to have perception, experience, or enjoyment : partake

—often used with of

taste

2 of 2

noun

plural tastes

: the special sense that perceives and distinguishes the sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami quality of a dissolved substance and is mediated by taste buds on the tongue

: the objective sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami quality of a dissolved substance as perceived by the sense of taste

: a sensation obtained from a substance in the mouth that is typically produced by the stimulation of the sense of taste combined with those of touch and smell : flavor

: the distinctive quality of an experience

The way we were treated left a bad taste in my mouth [=made me feel disgusted, bitter, etc.]

: a small amount tasted

: a small amount : bit

especially : a sample of experience

her first taste of success

obsolete : the act of tasting

: individual preference : inclination

: critical judgment, discernment, or appreciation

: manner or aesthetic quality indicative of such discernment or appreciation

obsolete : test

Example Sentences

Verb The pie tasted too sweet. The wine tastes like vinegar. She said there was garlic in the sauce, but I couldn't really taste it. Have you ever tasted anything so delicious? I tasted the tea and put more sugar in it. She offered to taste the wine. He tasted the tea to see if it was sweet enough. This is the first food I've tasted since yesterday. She talked about the day when she first tasted the joy of flying. He has tasted the frustration of defeat. Noun The wine had a slightly bitter taste. She likes the taste of apples and cinnamon. I detected a strong taste of ginger in the sauce. The illness affected her sense of taste. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Here's some good news: There are some truly delicious low-carb pasta options out there that don't taste like cardboard. —

Brittany Loggins, Women's Health, 6 Mar. 2023 There, more than a thousand festival-goers are expected to gather and taste more than 40 beers and ciders made by professional female-identifying brewers and 10 from this year’s crop of homebrewers. —

oregonlive, 3 Mar. 2023 My lips still feel hydrated and smooth, while the flavors look and taste the same. —

Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 23 Feb. 2023 Guests can also sit by the fire and taste a flight of the resort's artisan chocolate with their favorite whiskey while enjoying dad jokes. —

Jordi Lippe-mcgraw, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2023 The pills taste good and most dogs take them readily. —

Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 13 Feb. 2023 Advances in the technology of emulsification mean these drinks don't taste so strongly of weed— good news for all. —

Cori Ritchey, Men's Health, 1 Feb. 2023 Amalaki powder is generally safe to eat but can taste bitter. —

Barbara Bolen, Verywell Health, 31 Jan. 2023 So check the broth or stock’s sodium levels before adding to your recipe, be judicious about seasoning (particularly when the liquid will be reduced), and taste your food. —

Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2023

Noun

Flocons de Sel, Megève Nestled in the French Alps, Flocons de Sel offers a taste of the mountains. —

Mary Squillace, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2023 An Elite Eight participant last season, Miami still has the taste of a deep tournament run, and the personnel to realize another one. —

Zach Osterman, The Indianapolis Star, 18 Mar. 2023 Design and Color The design and color of the shed largely boil down to availability and your taste. —

Kathleen Willcox, Popular Mechanics, 14 Mar. 2023 Yes they got blown out by overall No. 1 seed Alabama in the SEC tournament championship — and that’s exactly why they’ll be poised to make a run, to get that bad taste out of their mouth. —

Lindsay Schnell, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2023 Others included depression or anxiety, body aches, sleep problems, headaches, joint pain, breathing problems and the loss of taste or smell. —

Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2023 Key takeaways Neurological issues like loss of taste and smell, difficulty concentrating, memory issues, and brain fog are common among long COVID patients. —

Erin Prater, Fortune Well, 14 Mar. 2023 Compared to other calcium pills, Citracal Petite are narrower in size and coated for easier swallowing that doesn’t leave a chalky taste in your mouth. —

Casey Seiden, Ms Rdn Cdn Cdces, Verywell Health, 12 Mar. 2023 Fans at JetBlue Park got a taste of it last week when the Red Sox played Puerto Rico in a practice game. —

Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Mar. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'taste.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to touch, test, taste, from Anglo-French taster, from Vulgar Latin *taxitare, frequentative of Latin taxare to touch, feel — more at tax entry 2

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4c

Time Traveler

The first known use of taste was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Taste.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taste. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

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Kids Definition

taste

1 of 2 verb

ˈtāst

tasted; tasting

: experience entry 2, undergo

taste the joy of flying

: to test the flavor of something by taking a little into the mouth

: to eat or drink especially in small quantities

: to recognize by or as if by the sense of taste

can taste the onion in it

: to have a specific flavor

this milk tastes sour

taste

2 of 2 noun

: a small amount tasted

: a small sample of experience

her first taste of success

: the sense that recognizes and tells apart the sweet, sour, bitter, or salty quality of a dissolved substance and is controlled by taste buds on the tongue

: the quality of a dissolved substance that can be identified by the sense of taste

: a sensation obtained from a substance in the mouth that is usually produced by the sense of taste in combination with those of touch and smell : flavor

: a personal liking

had expensive tastes

: the ability to choose and enjoy what is good and beautiful

a person of taste

: aesthetic quality : style

in bad taste

Medical Definition

taste

1 of 2 verb

ˈtāst

tasted; tasting

transitive verb

: to ascertain the flavor of by taking a little into the mouth

intransitive verb

: to have a specific flavor

the milk tastes sour

taste

2 of 2 noun

: the one of the special senses that is concerned with distinguishing the sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami quality of a dissolved substance and is mediated by taste buds on the tongue

: the objective sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami quality of a dissolved substance as perceived by the sense of taste

: a sensation obtained from a substance in the mouth that is typically produced by the stimulation of the sense of taste combined with those of touch and smell : flavor