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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 Jiang Zemin quietly arrived in Beijing in the middle of the protests to succeed Zhao, in part because party elites saw Jiang as someone who was ideologically palatable to all sides but a hard-liner on repressing protest. Tyler Jost, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2025 But Democrats are also pleased with the news Lawler isn’t running, expecting that Stefanik, who doesn’t have Lawler’s moderate reputation and is closer to Trump, may be less palatable to voters in what is ultimately still a blue state. Jared Gans, The Hill, 24 July 2025 Last-minute amendments watered down initial requirements to produce annual impact assessments and mitigate algorithmic discrimination in an attempt to make the bill more palatable to the governor. Angela Eichhorst, Hartford Courant, 15 July 2025 Asking the committee for a few million dollars that will be used to leverage $20 million or $30 million in private donations is much more palatable than the current 60/40 split that has the state picking up most of the tab. The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for palatable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palatable
Adjective
  • The 25-year-old is always pleasant and wearing a big smile.
    Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Having visited the dome myself, the clearest impression that stays with me is how Hiroshima isn’t just surprisingly pleasant, but beautiful.
    Ed Simon August 18, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This leads us back to the Tall as a Tree and Twice as Shady, a drink on the opening menu of Three Dots and a Dash that’s as good an example as any of McGee’s tiki sensibilities—unexpected and delicious, creative and precise.
    Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 23 Aug. 2025
  • These copycat Auntie Anne’s style soft pretzels are fresh, buttery, and just as delicious—minus the mall lines.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The apartments are huge, the antiques tasteful, the archery and life-drawing classes top-notch.
    Jocelyn Noveck, Twin Cities, 27 Aug. 2025
  • The only reason he’s given Charlotte such nice, tasteful gifts over the years is because of Bonnie.
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • Crafted with precision and intention, Frisson merges emotional technology with fine jewelry design to offer something new: a wearable way to feel connected.
    Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025
  • He’s largely been fine as a blocker during his rookie summer, but the pass-catching needs to be more consistent.
    Mike Kaye August 20, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Since judging the beauty of art is subjective, identifying the most aesthetically pleasing sculptures is difficult, Chidester said, but there are pieces in the collection that have drawn praise from the community.
    Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 12 Aug. 2025
  • None of this is pleasing to a country that has fought bitter wars with Pakistan, and whose officials have over the past two decades assiduously invested to elevate Indo-U.S. relations to a higher plane.
    Salil Tripathi, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Mills seemed impressed with the thought of the mega star sending out edible gifts to those in her inner circle, but Kravitz insisted that the sweet gesture has nothing to do with Swift’s fame.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
  • The cocktail kit, which costs $89.99, contains a 375 ml bottle of Kraken Black Spiced rum, three 50 ml bottles of Kraken Gold Spiced rum, as well as some Blue Curaçao, black sesame syrup, pineapple juice, limes, cocoa powder, edible glitter, and dehydrated pineapple and lime slices.
    Jeanette Hurt, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Elizabeth and Joyce make for a delightful black-cat, golden-retriever pair, and Ron and Ibrahim bring about hilarious shenanigans of their own.
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Today, things are a bit different, and while the heyday of British sports cars may be behind us, the TR3 remains one of the most delightful, fun-to-drive machines around.
    Robert Ross, Robb Report, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The mic did a satisfactory job handling some background noise, though, effectively neutralizing it enough to keep my voice clear.
    Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
  • During an appellate court hearing last September, Trump’s lawyers argued that many of the case’s allegations were too old and that James had misused a consumer protection law to sue Trump over private business transactions that were satisfactory to those involved.
    Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Palatable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palatable. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.

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