tasteless

adjective

taste·​less ˈtāst-ləs 

1

a

: having no taste : insipid

tasteless vegetables

b

: arousing no interest : dull

2

: not having or exhibiting good taste

a tasteless joke

tastelessly adverb

tastelessness noun

Synonyms

• coarse
• common
• crass
• crude
• gross
• ill-bred
• illiberal [archaic]
• incult
• insensible
• low
• lowbred
• lowbrow
• raffish
• rough
• rough-hewn
• roughneck
• rude
• rugged
• uncouth
• uncultivated
• uncultured
• unpolished
• unrefined
• vulgar

Examples of tasteless in a Sentence

a vulgar and tasteless publicity stunt

Recent Examples on the Web

Plenty of people would call it gaudy and outré, an immature demand for attention or a tasteless attempt to secure superficial status. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Europe, 9 Sep. 2024

Carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless and can cause death when inhaled. —Rey Covarrubias Jr., The Arizona Republic, 18 July 2024

But just as frequently, cult classics and fringe cinema are reactive rather than revolutionary, heavily cribbing from the more acclaimed and visible genre fare of their day while applying a trashy, tasteless sheen to the stories being spiritually retold. —Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 12 July 2024

Thank you, Dan (Not), for your self-serving, tasteless, and endless military ads on July 4. —Ticked Off, Orlando Sentinel, 10 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

tasteless

adjective

taste·​less ˈtāst-ləs 

1

: lacking flavor : flat

tasteless soup

2

: not having or showing good taste

a tasteless joke

tastelessly adverb

tastelessness noun