Distasteful — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /(ˌ)dis-ˈtāst-fəl/ dis·taste·ful

Meaning & Definition of Distasteful

Distasteful (adjective)

  1. objectionable because offensive to one's personal taste, unpleasant, disagreeable
  2. objectionable because in poor taste, inappropriate, or unethical
  3. unpleasant to the taste

Distasteful (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. disagreeable or disgusting to the sense of taste

    "cod-liver oil is so distasteful that it's worse than anything it cures"

    similar: brackish, unappetizing, unpalatable, unsavory, yucky
    related: abominable, awful, bad, filthy, foul, horrible, loathsome, nasty, nauseating, noisome, obnoxious, offensive, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, shocking, sickening, bland, flat, flavorless, insipid, savorless, tasteless
    opposite: appetizing, delectable, delicious, delish, palatable, savory, tasty, toothsome, yummy
    near: appealing, attractive, flavorful, piquant, rich

  2. not giving pleasure to the mind or senses

    "concerned mothers who find some recent musical trends distasteful"

    similar: bad, bitter, disagreeable, displeasing, harsh, icky, nasty, rotten, sour, uncongenial, unlovely, unpalatable, unpleasant, unpleasing, unsavory, unwelcome, wicked, yucky
    related: abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, beastly, bilious, disgusting, dreadful, foul, ghastly, gnarly (slang), god-awful, gross, hateful, hellish, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, invidious, loathsome, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, obnoxious, obscene, odious, offensive, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, revulsive, scandalous, seamy, shocking, sick, sickening, ugly, unholy, vile, villainous, aggravating, annoying, galling, irritating, vexing, crappy (slang), cruddy, crummy, lousy, miserable, sucky (slang), wretched
    opposite: agreeable, congenial, good, grateful, gratifying, nice, palatable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome
    near: delectable, delicious, delightful, dreamy, felicitous, amiable, charming, cheery, friendly, jolly, kindly, sweet

  3. causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment

    "the distasteful nature of his job as a bill collector"

    similar: abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, disgusting, dreadful, evil, foul, fulsome, gross, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, loathsome, nasty, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, noxious, obnoxious, obscene, odious, offensive, rancid, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, scandalous, shocking, sickening, ugly
    related: exceptionable, objectionable, brackish, disagreeable, dislikable, unpleasant, contemptible, despicable, detestable, hard, hateful, unhealthy, unsavory, unwholesome, execrable, lousy, miserable, atrocious, frightful, ghastly, grim, grisly, gruesome, heinous, horrific, horrifying, lurid, macabre, monstrous, nightmarish, sick, sickish, sickly, terrible, unspeakable, vile, off-putting, undesirable, unwanted, unwelcome, barbarous, unchristian, uncivilized, ungodly, unholy, distressing, disturbing, upsetting
    opposite: innocuous, inoffensive
    near: acceptable, agreeable, alluring, appealing, attractive, blessed, congenial, darling, delectable, delicious, delightful, delightsome, desirable, dreamy, dulcet, enjoyable, felicitous, gratifying, heavenly, inviting, likable, luscious, nice, palatable, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, savory, sweet, welcome, unexceptionable, unobjectionable, healthful, healthy, restorative, salubrious, salutary, wholesome

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Distasteful

The most common words with a similar meaning to Distasteful:

brackish, unappetizing, unpalatable, unsavory, yucky, bad, bitter, disagreeable, displeasing, harsh, icky, nasty, rotten, sour, uncongenial, unlovely, unpleasant, unpleasing, unwelcome, wicked, abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, disgusting, dreadful, evil, foul, fulsome, gross, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, loathsome, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, noxious, obnoxious

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Distasteful

Words with the opposite meaning of Distasteful:

appetizing, delectable, delicious, delish, palatable, savory, tasty, toothsome, yummy, agreeable, congenial, good, grateful, gratifying, nice, pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, satisfying, welcome, innocuous, inoffensive

Related Words for Distasteful

filthy, bland, flat, flavorless, insipid, savorless, tasteless, beastly, bilious, ghastly, gnarly, god-awful, hateful, hellish, invidious, revulsive, seamy, sick, unholy, vile, villainous, aggravating, annoying, galling, irritating, vexing, crappy, cruddy, crummy, lousy

Near Antonyms of Distasteful

appealing, attractive, flavorful, piquant, rich, delightful, dreamy, felicitous, amiable, charming, cheery, friendly, jolly, kindly, sweet, acceptable, alluring, blessed, darling, delightsome, desirable, dulcet, enjoyable, heavenly, inviting, likable, luscious, unexceptionable, unobjectionable, healthful

Word Forms of Distasteful

Derived words: distastefully (adverb), distastefulness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Distasteful

First known use: 1607

Frequently Asked Questions about Distasteful

What does "Distasteful" mean?

"Distasteful" means objectionable because offensive to one's personal taste, unpleasant, disagreeable. As an adjective, it is defined as: objectionable because offensive to one's personal taste, unpleasant, disagreeable. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Distasteful"?

Other words for "Distasteful" include brackish, unappetizing, unpalatable, unsavory, yucky, bad, bitter and disagreeable. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Distasteful" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Distasteful"?

There are 121 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Distasteful". Common alternatives include brackish, unappetizing, unpalatable, unsavory, yucky, bad, bitter, disagreeable, displeasing and harsh.

What is the opposite of "Distasteful"?

Antonyms of "Distasteful" include appetizing, delectable, delicious, delish, palatable, savory, tasty and toothsome. Near antonyms include appealing, attractive, flavorful and piquant.

How do you use "Distasteful" in a sentence?

Examples of "Distasteful" in a sentence: "cod-liver oil is so distasteful that it's worse than anything it cures"; "concerned mothers who find some recent musical trends distasteful"; "the distasteful nature of his job as a bill collector".

Is "Distasteful" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Distasteful" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Distasteful"?

"Distasteful" is pronounced /(ˌ)dis-ˈtāst-fəl/ and divided into syllables as dis·taste·ful.

What is the origin of the word "Distasteful"?

First known use: 1607.