Definition of palatablenext
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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 Wedding clients perform love instead of living it; her brother, a congressman, disguises his LGBTQ identity to make his political one more palatable; the gentrifiers of her neighborhood trumpet their changes as progress. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026 The tradeoff between giving up some personal privacy in exchange for expedited screening is one that many travelers welcome, making air travel more palatable for travelers and more efficient for TSA officers. — Sheldon H. Jacobson, Twin Cities, 6 Sep. 2026 Hundreds of years of farming and cooking would likely result in something more palatable. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026 Most important, the mutual blockade has the advantage of being more palatable to political leaders in Washington than any of the alternative options. — James F. Jeffrey, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for palatable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palatable
Adjective
  • Sometimes there isn’t enough time, mental, emotional, or physical capacity to take on another commitment, and that’s okay, too.
    — Jasmine Johnson, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Happily, Aesha’s mom is ten years sober, and everyone is okay.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Brisbane 2032 vice president Tim Mander and chief marketing officer Brent Hill told the weekend news conference the accidental release was a pleasant surprise.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And the owners’ taste, in this case, is pleasant and broadly appealing, complimenting the home’s high ceilings and historic features.
    — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 5 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • This countertop-friendly frozen dessert machine features five delicious presets for ice cream, sorbet, gelato, smoothie bowls and frozen yogurt.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • And Michael Rishawn almost steals the show with his delicious comic turn as the restaurant host, as well as other ancillary characters.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 1 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Thinner fibers would allow researchers to embed more sensing elements into garments, potentially capturing finer details of body movement.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The new songs on Live at Carnegie Hall are some of Winter’s very finest.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • But Dunnigan’s pick-six late in the game — combined with the win — made this an enjoyable and successful night for the freshman from Kansas.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Later, Mars trines Neptune in your 5th House and brings your adventurous energy somewhere much more enjoyable.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 2 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The interiors, meanwhile, never shout but still seem to wow with luxe Mediterranean touches and tasteful art.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Williams and her team scoured sites like 1stDibs to find the kinds of tasteful pieces that would live with the wealthy Crawford family but that also conveyed the subtly spooky effect that’s a hallmark of the film.
    — Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • When looking for symptoms, anything can become suspect; and when comfort is sought, anything can look alright.
    — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The kids are not alright, or even right in the head in Serbian drama 3 Weeks After.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 17 July 2026
Adjective
  • Its look, a pleasing meld of contemporary glass and steel, mid-century accents, and exposed brickwork, nods to the past.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • This puzzle is stuffed with nuance, pleasing crosses and a lot of simply terrific, ridiculously evocative stuff — for example, a jarring assortment of lovely trivia intersecting with some hideous ailments at more than one juncture.
    — Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Palatable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palatable. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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