If you describe food or drink as palatable, you mean that it tastes pleasant.
[formal]
...flavourings and preservatives, designed to make the food look more palatable.
Synonyms: delicious, tasty, luscious, savoury More Synonyms of palatable
2. adjective
If you describe something such as an idea or method as palatable, you mean that people are willing to accept it.
...a palatable way of sacking staff.
That option is not very palatable.
More Synonyms of palatable
palatable in British English
(ˈpælətəbəl)
adjective
1.
pleasant to taste
2.
acceptable or satisfactory
a palatable suggestion
Derived forms
palatability (ˌpalataˈbility) or palatableness (ˈpalatableness)
noun
palatably (ˈpalatably)
adverb
palatable in American English
(ˈpælɪtəbəl)
adjective
1.
pleasant or acceptable to the taste; fit to be eaten or drunk
2.
acceptable to the mind
Derived forms
palatability (ˌpalataˈbility)
noun or ˈpalatableness
palatably (ˈpalatably)
adverb
Word origin
palate + -able
Examples of 'palatable' in a sentence
palatable
The second lesson from history is less palatable.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Rosé veal offers a more palatable alternative.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Ministers and mandarins worry that scientific advice will close off politically palatable options.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Set against these varied gifts is a rather less palatable practice that is currently in full swing.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
But the desire to make things palatable and shiny and cheerful needs to be resisted.
Christianity Today (2000)
Could a little bit more inflation be presented as a more palatable alternative to permanently high unemployment?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Cedar and lavender are more palatable options.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
And that has implications for us that are less than palatable.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It is also designing bitterness blockers that should make less palatable foods such as broccoli and soy protein taste better.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
And the best way to make that palatable for all is to reduce the price of losing in the lottery.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But the alternatives are not palatable.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Neither of these options is palatable.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
That would be less palatable today.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
You need to make health palatable.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Freedom was alive as well, in a vivid and scarcely palatable way.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
But fat and salt make foods palatable and tasty, and encourage you to buy them.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Politicians love talking about growth, not least because it is a lot more palatable than the alternative.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Neither are particularly palatable options.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
West Ham executives sit down with their new partners to thrash out a deal that makes commercial sense and is politically palatable.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Food manufacturers make their profits from converting a small range of cheap processed bulk crops plus lots of additives into addictive, palatable foods.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
This is why I am wary of the current trend for hiding health foods inside more palatable ones.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They want us to cut by 20 per cent, but make it all politically palatable.
The Sun (2012)
It looked the most palatable of the dogs' dinners and most healthy, with a good deal of brown rice.
The Sun (2015)
QE may appear to the coalition to be a more politically palatable way of addressing Britain's economic woes.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
palatable
British English: palatable ADJECTIVE
If you describe food or drink as palatable, you mean that it tastes pleasant.
...flavourings and preservatives, designed to make the food look more palatable.
American English: palatable
Brazilian Portuguese: palatável
Chinese: 美味的
European Spanish: sabroso
French: savoureux
German: genießbar
Italian: gustoso
Japanese: 味のよい
Korean: 맛이 있는
European Portuguese: palatável
Latin American Spanish: sabroso
1 (adjective)
Definition
(of food or drink) pleasant to taste
flavourings designed to make the food more palatable
Synonyms
delicious
a wide selection of delicious meals to choose from
tasty
I thought the food was very tasty.
luscious
luscious fruit
savoury
Italian cooking is best known for its savoury dishes.
delectable
a delectable dessert
mouthwatering
appetizing
the appetizing smell of freshly baked bread
toothsome
toothsome honey-sweetened gingerbread
yummo (Australian, slang)
Opposites
bland
,
tasteless
,
flat
,
stale
,
unpalatable
,
insipid
,
unappetizing
2 (adjective)
Definition
(of an experience or idea) acceptable or satisfactory
There is no palatable way of sacking someone.
Synonyms
acceptable
a most acceptable present
pleasant
a pleasant surprise
agreeable
more agreeable and better paid occupations
fair
He had a fair command of English.
attractive
We are often drawn to attractive people.
satisfactory
I never got a satisfactory answer.
enjoyable
the most enjoyable part of the holiday
Additional synonyms
in the sense of agreeable
Definition
pleasant and enjoyable
more agreeable and better paid occupations
Synonyms
pleasant,
pleasing,
satisfying,
acceptable,
delightful,
enjoyable,
gratifying,
pleasurable,
congenial,
to your liking,
to your taste,
likable or likeable
in the sense of appetizing
Definition
stimulating the appetite
the appetizing smell of freshly baked bread
Synonyms
delicious,
appealing,
inviting,
tempting,
tasty,
savoury,
succulent,
palatable,
mouthwatering,
scrumptious (informal),
yummo (Australian, slang)
in the sense of attractive
Definition
appealing to the senses or mind
We are often drawn to attractive people.
Synonyms
seductive,
charming,
tempting,
interesting,
pleasing,
pretty,
fair,
beautiful,
inviting,
engaging,
likable or likeable,
lovely,
winning,
sexy (informal),
pleasant,
handsome,
fetching (informal),
good-looking,
glamorous,
gorgeous (informal),
magnetic,
cute,
irresistible,
enticing,
provocative,
captivating,
beguiling,
alluring,
bonny (Scottish, NorthernEngland, dialect),
winsome,
comely (old-fashioned),
prepossessing,
hot (informal),
fit (British, informal),
lush (slang)
Nearby words of
palatable
pairing
pal
palace
palatable
palate
palatial
palaver
Synonyms of 'palatable'
palatable
Explore 'palatable' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of delectable
Definition
delightful or very attractive
a delectable dessert
Synonyms
delicious,
tasty,
luscious,
inviting,
satisfying,
pleasant,
delightful,
enjoyable,
lush,
enticing,
gratifying,
dainty,
yummy (slang),
scrumptious (informal),
appetizing,
toothsome,
lekker (South Africa, slang),
yummo (Australian, slang)
in the sense of enjoyable
the most enjoyable part of the holiday
Synonyms
pleasurable,
good,
great,
fine,
pleasing,
nice,
satisfying,
lovely,
entertaining,
pleasant,
amusing,
delicious,
delightful,
gratifying,
agreeable,
delectable,
to your liking
in the sense of fair
Definition
quite large
He had a fair command of English.
Synonyms
respectable,
middling,
average,
reasonable,
decent,
acceptable,
moderate,
adequate,
satisfactory,
not bad,
mediocre,
so-so (informal),
tolerable,
passable,
O.K. or okay (informal),
all right
in the sense of luscious
Definition
extremely pleasurable to taste or smell
luscious fruit
Synonyms
delicious,
sweet,
juicy,
rich,
honeyed (poetic),
savoury,
succulent,
palatable,
mouth-watering,
delectable,
yummy (slang),
scrumptious (informal),
appetizing,
toothsome,
yummo (Australian, slang)
in the sense of pleasant
Definition
pleasing or enjoyable
a pleasant surprise
Synonyms
pleasing,
nice,
welcome,
satisfying,
fine,
lovely,
acceptable,
amusing,
refreshing,
delightful,
enjoyable,
gratifying,
agreeable,
pleasurable,
delectable,
lekker (South Africa, slang)
in the sense of satisfactory
Definition
adequate or acceptable
I never got a satisfactory answer.
Synonyms
adequate,
acceptable,
good enough,
average,
fair,
all right,
suitable,
sufficient,
competent,
up to scratch,
passable,
up to standard,
up to the mark
in the sense of savoury
Definition
attractive to the sense of taste or smell
Italian cooking is best known for its savoury dishes.
Synonyms
spicy,
rich,
delicious,
tasty,
luscious,
palatable,
tangy,
dainty,
delectable,
mouthwatering,
piquant,
full-flavoured,
scrumptious (informal),
appetizing,
toothsome,
yummo (Australian, slang)
in the sense of tasty
Definition
having a pleasant flavour
I thought the food was very tasty.
Synonyms
delicious,
luscious,
palatable,
delectable,
good-tasting,
savoury,
full-flavoured,
yummy (slang),
flavoursome,
scrumptious (informal),
appetizing,
toothsome,
flavourful,
sapid,
lekker (South Africa, slang),
yummo (Australian, slang)
in the sense of toothsome
Definition
delicious or appetizing in appearance, flavour, or smell