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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 Clearly, no teams can match that, with Rashford’s wages starting at around £325,000 per week, but clawing some money back for a player who has not featured in their past nine games would be a more palatable situation than now. Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025 That may be the real one to test and get a more palatable taste of MSI’s boisterous designs. Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 10 Jan. 2025 The bottom line: The exurb boom is likely a consequence of high housing prices pushing people farther from the city center and an increase in remote work that makes living away from employment centers more palatable, per the Census Bureau. Jessica Boehm, Axios, 9 Jan. 2025 Though the actors are given very little to work with, feelings of anguish, betrayal, longing and desire are all palatable. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 17 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for palatable 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palatable
Adjective
  • While most warming devices come only in plain blacks and grays, these go out of their way to look pleasant in four colorful designs.
    Clint Davis, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Image While perfectly pleasant to watch, the movement here, paired with the sentimental music, telegraphs a gravity that feels put on from the outside, rather than emanating from some deeper internal purpose or choreographic motor.
    Siobhan Burke, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • That would be a delicious irony — the ultimate cherry atop the revitalization cake.
    Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025
  • The casual dining chain's comparable sales rose a delicious 31% in its most recent quarter, parent company Brinker International reported yesterday.
    Nathan Bomey, Axios, 30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • There, in an attractive two-story suburban house with plenty of natural light, a wraparound front porch and a spacious backyard, the spirit wanders the handsome, blandly tasteful rooms and looks out the many windows.
    Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Roberts also expressed concerns that the nature of this content has changed since the era of relatively tasteful nude photographs in Playboy magazine.
    Ian Millhiser, Vox, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Bones and teeth are then ground into a fine, ivory powder and returned to the deceased’s family — much like the remains from cremation, without the ashen hue.
    Collin Blinder, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025
  • Afterward, people grasp for meaning, but most don’t suddenly have a eureka moment a few days later and then feel fine.
    Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Saunders can turn everyday wear into coveted and aesthetically pleasing items—the FW25 line is a significant example of this notion.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Charts and graphs had a pleasing amount of saturation and contrast.
    David English, PCMAG, 20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Sweet alyssum and stock, which are members of the mustard family (that includes cabbage and broccoli) are winter bloomers with both leaves and flowers that are edible.
    Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 30 Jan. 2025
  • Only one entry, Denver Bone Broth, focused on making offal more edible to humans.
    Miguel Otárola, The Denver Post, 28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Just Our Luck is no different, offering a fresh and delightful spin to the fake dating trope with donuts, a winning lottery ticket and a rich cast of side characters (no pun intended).
    Lizz Schumer, People.com, 2 Feb. 2025
  • As much as duos and groups are delightful, there’s something really lovely about going alone, too.
    Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • But the federal investigation was not satisfactory to many of King’s family members and associates, who knew of the FBI’s years-long investigation of the minister, and Director J. Edgar Hoover’s obsession with him as a potential communist influence.
    Andy Rose, CNN, 25 Jan. 2025
  • By applying enough pressure now, the thinking goes, Ukraine and its backers can enter talks from a favorable position, and Russian President Vladimir Putin will be forced to engage in good-faith negotiations that end in a satisfactory settlement.
    Alexandra Prokopenko, Foreign Affairs, 21 Jan. 2025

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Thesaurus Entries Near palatable

Cite this Entry

“Palatable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palatable. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.

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