Taste — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈtāst/

Meaning & Definition of Taste

Taste (verb)

  1. to ascertain the flavor of by taking a little into the mouth
  2. to eat or drink especially in small quantities
  3. to perceive or recognize as if by the sense of taste

Taste (noun)

  1. the special sense that perceives and distinguishes the sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami quality of a dissolved substance and is mediated by taste buds on the tongue
  2. the objective sweet, sour, bitter, salty, or umami quality of a dissolved substance as perceived by the sense of taste
  3. a sensation obtained from a substance in the mouth that is typically produced by the stimulation of the sense of taste combined with those of touch and smell, flavor

Taste (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the property of a substance that can be identified by the sense of taste

    "I can't stand the taste of cherry-flavored cough syrup"

    similar: flavor, savor
    related: relish, smack, tang, savoriness, tastiness, aftertaste
    near: tastelessness

  2. a small piece or quantity of food

    "I'll just have a taste of your dessert"

    similar: bite, morsel, mouthful, nibble, nugget, tidbit
    related: collop, medallion, noisette, nosh, snack, appetizer, canapé, hors d'oeuvre, bit, chew, crumb, dab, dribble, driblet, fleck, hint, mote, nubbin, particle, pinch, scrap, scruple, shred, smidgen, snip, snippet, speck, spot, sprinkling, suspicion, tittle, touch, trace, dash, drop, lap, lick, gulp, swallow, swig

  3. positive regard for something

    "trying to develop a taste for classical music"

    similar: appetite, fancy, favor, fondness, like, liking, love, love affair, partiality, preference, relish, shine, use
    related: craving, desire, hankering, longing, thirst, yen, enthusiasm, gusto, interest, passion, bias, prejudice, bent, inclination, leaning, propensity, tendency, tooth, palate, weakness
    opposite: aversion, disfavor, disgust, dislike, distaste, hatred, loathing, mislike
    near: apathy, disinclination, indifference, unconcern

Taste (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it

    "an adventurer who has tasted danger and lived to tell the tale"

    similar: endure, experience, feel, have, know, pass, see, suffer, sustain, undergo, witness, go through
    related: encounter, meet, accept, receive, assimilate, digest

  2. to have a vague awareness of

    "by your language I can taste that something is wrong"

    similar: feel, perceive, scent, see, sense, smell
    related: behold, descry, discern, distinguish, espy, eye, look (at), note, notice, observe, regard, remark, sight, spy, view, witness, ascertain, catch on (to), discover, find out, hear, learn, realize, anticipate, divine, expect, foreknow, foresee, assume, conjecture, guess, presume, speculate, suppose, surmise, suspect

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Taste

The most common words with a similar meaning to Taste:

flavor, savor, bite, morsel, mouthful, nibble, nugget, tidbit, appetite, fancy, favor, fondness, like, liking, love, love affair, partiality, preference, relish, shine, use, endure, experience, feel, have, know, pass, see, suffer, sustain, undergo, witness, perceive, scent, sense, smell, go through

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Taste

Words with the opposite meaning of Taste:

aversion, disfavor, disgust, dislike, distaste, hatred, loathing, mislike

Related Words for Taste

smack, tang, savoriness, tastiness, aftertaste, collop, medallion, noisette, nosh, snack, appetizer, canapé, hors d'oeuvre, bit, chew, crumb, dab, dribble, driblet, fleck, hint, mote, nubbin, particle, pinch, scrap, scruple, shred, smidgen, snip

Near Antonyms of Taste

tastelessness, apathy, disinclination, indifference, unconcern

Word Forms of Taste

Inflections: tasted, tasting, tastes

Origin & Etymology of Taste

Middle English, to touch, test, taste, from Anglo-French taster, from Vulgar Latin *taxitare, frequentative of Latin taxare to touch, feel tax:2

First known use: 14th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Taste

Words & Phrases Containing Taste

taste bud, taste blood, taste of things to come, acquired taste, a matter of taste, for someone's taste, in good taste, in (very) bad/poor taste

Frequently Asked Questions about Taste

What does "Taste" mean?

"Taste" means to ascertain the flavor of by taking a little into the mouth. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to ascertain the flavor of by taking a little into the mouth. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Taste"?

Other words for "Taste" include flavor, savor, bite, morsel, mouthful, nibble, nugget and tidbit. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Taste" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Taste"?

There are 143 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Taste". Common alternatives include flavor, savor, bite, morsel, mouthful, nibble, nugget, tidbit, appetite and fancy.

What is the opposite of "Taste"?

Antonyms of "Taste" include aversion, disfavor, disgust, dislike, distaste, hatred, loathing and mislike. Near antonyms include tastelessness, apathy, disinclination and indifference.

How do you use "Taste" in a sentence?

Examples of "Taste" in a sentence: "I can't stand the taste of cherry-flavored cough syrup"; "I'll just have a taste of your dessert"; "trying to develop a taste for classical music".

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

"Taste" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Taste" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Taste" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Taste"?

"Taste" is pronounced /ˈtāst/.