taste
taste — noun
1. the flavour of food or drink that you notice when you put it in your mouth, or t
the flavour of food or drink that you notice when you put it in your mouth, or the physical sense that lets you recognise different flavours.
The soup had a sweet taste that reminded Yael of her grandmother's cooking.
adjectival modifier before 'taste': a sweet taste
Vinícius noticed a strange metallic taste in his water and stopped drinking.
adjectival modifier: metallic taste
People who lose their sense of taste often struggle to enjoy meals.
collocation: sense of taste
This strawberry ice cream has a rich, creamy taste that children love.
The taste of fresh mint in the tea helped calm Lakshmi's upset stomach.
pattern: the taste of [something]
- a sweet taste
- a bitter taste
- a sour taste
- a salty taste
- a strong taste
- a mild taste
- sense of taste
- leave a taste
- the taste of
- tastelessness
the state of having no flavour at all
Grammar Patterns
have a … taste
sense of taste
taste of something
Usage Note
When used as a countable noun ('a sweet taste', 'a strange taste'), the focus is on a specific flavour experience. As an uncountable noun, it refers to the general sense ('taste is one of the five senses').
Common Mistakes
2. the state of finding pleasure in something — a particular food, drink, or activi
the state of finding pleasure in something — a particular food, drink, or activity — especially after gradually getting used to it.
Théo developed a taste for spicy Thai food after his trip to Bangkok.
pattern: develop a taste for [something]
Lakshmi acquired a taste for classical music after attending a concert.
pattern: acquire a taste for [something]
Beatrix never had much taste for outdoor sports like hiking or camping.
pattern: have a taste for [something]
Dario's taste for expensive wine started during his years living in France.
Sofia's first single-malt whisky in Edinburgh made her grimace, but it became an acquired taste.
idiomatic expression: acquired taste
- a taste for
- acquire a taste for
- develop a taste for
- have a taste for
- an acquired taste
Grammar Patterns
have a taste for something
acquire a taste for something
develop a taste for something
Usage Note
Typically appears in the fixed pattern 'a taste for [something]'. The phrase 'acquired taste' refers to something that people usually dislike at first but learn to enjoy over time.
Common Mistakes
3. a tiny portion of something edible taken into the mouth in order to judge its qu
a tiny portion of something edible taken into the mouth in order to judge its quality or your reaction to it.
Obi took a small taste of the sauce to check if it needed more salt.
pattern: take a taste of [something]
The shop offered customers a free taste of their new cheese.
collocation: a free taste
Just a taste of the chocolate cake was enough to satisfy Naoko's sweet craving.
Could I have a taste of your lemonade to see if I want one too?
pattern: have a taste of [something]
- a taste of
- have a taste
- take a taste
- free taste
- just a taste
Grammar Patterns
a taste of something
have a taste
take a taste
give someone a taste
Usage Note
This sense always refers to a literal small portion of food or drink. Do not confuse with sense 7 (BRIEF EXPERIENCE), which uses the same pattern 'a taste of' but for non-food experiences like freedom or success.
Common Mistakes
4. a person's ability to choose things that are good, suitable, or of high quality
a person's ability to choose things that are good, suitable, or of high quality — often used in the phrase 'good taste' or 'bad taste'.
The interior designer has excellent taste and turned the empty room into a warm home.
collocation: have excellent taste
Wearing a brightly patterned shirt to a funeral is considered bad taste.
collocation: bad taste
Jin's taste in clothing is so refined that people often ask where he shops.
pattern: taste in [area]
A joke about someone's illness can be seen as being in poor taste.
collocation: in poor taste
Élise showed great taste by choosing simple wooden furniture instead of plastic pieces.
- good taste
- bad taste
- poor taste
- excellent taste
- taste in
- in good taste
- in poor taste
- in bad taste
- have taste
- discernment
formal; emphasises the ability to make fine, careful judgments
- judgment
broader term; can apply to many areas beyond aesthetics
- tastelessness
the quality of lacking stylistic or social judgment
Grammar Patterns
taste in something
have taste in
good taste
poor taste
bad taste
Usage Note
In this sense, 'taste' is always uncountable — never 'a good taste' or 'good tastes'. The phrase 'in good/bad/poor taste' describes whether something is socially or culturally appropriate.
Common Mistakes
5. the ability to judge what is beautiful, appropriate, or of high quality in art,
the ability to judge what is beautiful, appropriate, or of high quality in art, fashion, design, music, or behaviour.
Christopher's taste in modern art is widely admired by gallery owners.
pattern: taste in [art form]
The museum director is known for her impeccable taste in contemporary sculpture.
collocation: impeccable taste
A person of taste would never hang plastic flowers next to a painting.
expression: a person of taste
Hui's refined taste in furniture makes her home look like a design magazine.
The critics praised the director's taste in selecting actors for the film.
- refined taste
- impeccable taste
- good taste in art
- sophisticated taste
- a person of taste
- taste in music
- taste in fashion
- discrimination
formal; emphasises the ability to recognise fine distinctions in quality
- refinement
suggests good taste that comes from education, culture, or training
- aesthetic sense
focuses specifically on the appreciation of beauty
- cultivation
implies taste developed through learning and exposure to culture
- vulgarity
the quality of being crude or lacking good taste
- philistinism
formal; hostility or indifference to artistic and cultural values
Grammar Patterns
taste in something
good/refined/impeccable taste
Usage Note
Similar to sense 4 but more specifically focused on aesthetic and artistic judgment. This sense is always uncountable and often modified by adjectives like 'refined', 'impeccable', 'exquisite', or 'sophisticated'.
Common Mistakes
6. the particular things that a person likes or prefers, such as types of music, bo
the particular things that a person likes or prefers, such as types of music, books, films, clothes, or food.
Christopher's musical tastes range from classical piano to modern jazz.
plural form: musical tastes
Ari and Hui have very different tastes in food, so choosing a restaurant is always hard.
pattern: tastes in [category], plural subject
As she grew older, Beatrix's tastes in literature changed from fantasy to historical fiction.
The app recommends films based on your tastes and past viewing history.
possessive determiner: your tastes
- tastes in
- musical tastes
- cultural tastes
- literary tastes
- artistic tastes
- change one's tastes
- different tastes
- similar tastes
- preferences
more general; can apply to any choice between options, not just aesthetic ones
- likes
informal; often paired with 'dislikes'
- inclinations
more formal; suggests a natural tendency toward certain choices
- dislikes
the things someone does not like
Grammar Patterns
tastes in something
someone's tastes
musical/literary/cultural tastes
Usage Note
This sense is most commonly used in the plural ('tastes') to refer to a person's overall set of preferences. The singular 'taste' can also be used ('his taste in music'), but 'tastes' emphasises the range and variety of someone's likes.
Common Mistakes
7. a brief encounter with something unfamiliar that gives you a sense of what it fe
a brief encounter with something unfamiliar that gives you a sense of what it feels like to experience it.
After just one week, Jin got a taste of what it is like to run a small business.
collocation: got a taste of
The internship gave Lakshmi a taste of working in a hospital emergency room.
pattern: give someone a taste of [something]
Vinícius had a taste of fame when his photo appeared in the local newspaper.
The short camping trip gave the children a taste of life without electricity.
- a taste of
- get a taste of
- have a taste of
- give someone a taste of
- a taste of freedom
- a taste of success
- a taste of fame
Grammar Patterns
a taste of something
get a taste of
have a taste of
give someone a taste of
Usage Note
This sense extends the food-related idea of 'a taste' (sense 3) to non-food contexts like experiences, emotions, or lifestyles. Unlike sense 3, the object is abstract (a taste of freedom, success, fame, independence).
Common Mistakes
to taste
idiomaccording to one's personal preference — used in cooking instructions to mean 'add as much as you like'.
Add salt and pepper to taste, then stir the sauce gently.
Season the soup with curry powder to taste before serving.
to make you feel disgusted, ashamed, or upset about something that has happened.
The way the company treated its workers left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.
Losing the championship because of a bad decision left a bitter taste in the team's mouth.
used to say that different people like different things, and it is impossible to explain why.
She decorated her room entirely in bright purple — well, there is no accounting for taste.
Some people love that film and others hate it, but there is no accounting for taste.
the same unpleasant treatment that you have given to others, now given back to you.
The bully got a taste of his own medicine when a bigger student teased him.
Journalists who spread false rumours deserve a dose of their own medicine sometimes.
an acquired taste
idiomSomething that you do not like at first but later learn to enjoy.
My friend thinks sushi is an acquired taste.
Did you find jazz music an acquired taste?
To be offensive and not suitable for the situation.
His joke about the accident was in very poor taste.
Maya thought the comedian's remarks were in bad taste.
To be appropriate and not offensive.
The decorations at the party were in good taste.
Diego's speech was in the best possible taste.
To make you feel upset or ashamed after an experience.
The argument with my boss left a bad taste in my mouth.
Sara's dishonest behavior left a nasty taste in everyone's mouth.
The same bad treatment that you have given to others.
The bully got a taste of his own medicine.
Aiden gave the rude customer a dose of his own medicine.
Used to say that it is impossible to explain why people like different things.
She loves that ugly painting, but there's no accounting for taste.
Min hates chocolate ice cream—there's no accounting for taste.
taste — verb
1. to deliberately place something edible on your tongue so you can decide what sor
to deliberately place something edible on your tongue so you can decide what sort of flavour it produces.
Théo tasted the soup and added a pinch of salt to improve the flavour.
transitive verb: tasted the soup
Before buying the olive oil, the customer was invited to taste a small sample.
passive: was invited to taste
Yael always tastes the sauce before serving it to her guests.
frequency adverb: always tastes
The chef tasted the curry and decided it needed more coconut milk.
Taste the dipping sauce and tell me if it has enough lime juice.
imperative form: Taste the …
- taste the soup
- taste the sauce
- taste the wine
- taste a sample
- taste before serving
Grammar Patterns
taste + noun
taste something
Usage Note
This sense is an action verb — you deliberately put food in your mouth to check the flavour. Do not confuse with verb sense 2 (HAVE FLAVOUR), which describes the inherent flavour of something and cannot be used in the continuous form.
Common Mistakes
2. to produce a specific sensation on your tongue when eaten or drunk — describing
to produce a specific sensation on your tongue when eaten or drunk — describing what sort of flavour food or drink possesses.
This lemonade tastes sour because it has very little sugar.
linking verb + adjective: tastes sour
The chicken tastes like it has been cooked with fresh herbs and garlic.
pattern: tastes like + clause
Dario's homemade bread tastes wonderful when eaten warm with butter.
Although the medicine tasted bitter, Benjamin forced himself to swallow it.
This cheap coffee tastes more like hot water than real coffee.
pattern: tastes like + noun phrase
- taste good
- taste bad
- taste sweet
- taste bitter
- taste like
- taste of
- taste sour
- taste delicious
- taste horrible
- flavour of
used as a verb: 'the soup flavours of rosemary' — less common than 'taste of'
- savour of
more formal, often used figuratively ('his comments savour of arrogance')
Grammar Patterns
taste + adjective
taste like something
taste of something
taste as if / as though
Usage Note
This is a linking verb (copula), similar to 'be', 'seem', or 'look'. It is followed by an adjective ('tastes delicious'), not an adverb ('tastes deliciously'). It is a stative verb and is rarely used in the continuous form ('is tasting') to describe inherent flavour.
Common Mistakes
3. to go through something briefly — often a desirable or significant feeling, situ
to go through something briefly — often a desirable or significant feeling, situation, or stage — and get a sense of what it is like.
After living in Japan for a year, Naoko tasted the freedom of being independent.
abstract object: tasted the freedom of
The young musician finally tasted success when her first song became popular.
collocation: tasted success
Eve tasted defeat for the first time when her team lost the championship.
collocation: tasted defeat
After years of civil war, the region finally tasted peace.
- taste success
- taste freedom
- taste defeat
- taste victory
- taste power
- taste independence
- taste peace
- experience
more general and neutral; does not imply brevity
- sample
suggests trying a small part of something
- undergo
more formal; often used for difficult or challenging experiences
Grammar Patterns
taste + abstract noun
taste success
taste freedom
taste defeat
Usage Note
This figurative sense is more common in literary or formal writing. The objects are almost always abstract nouns like success, freedom, defeat, power, independence, or peace. It often implies that the experience is brief, new, or just enough to give a sense of what something is like.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- tastyadjectiveA2
- tastefuladjectiveB2
- tastelessadjectiveB2
- tasternounB1
- tastilyadverbC1
- tastefullyadverbC1
- tastelesslyadverbC1
- distastenounB2
- aftertastenounC1
- taste budnounB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Taste is the most general word for the sensation produced by food or drink in the mouth. It covers everything from sweet and sour to bitter and salty. Flavour (or flavor in American English) refers more specifically to a particular quality or characteristic taste that makes one food different from another — for example, the nutty flavour of roasted sesame oil versus the rich flavour of dark chocolate. Savour (also spelled savor) suggests a rich, complex, and enjoyable taste that one lingers over, often with an element of appreciation or pleasure. Tang refers to a sharp, strong, often slightly sour or spicy taste that stands out clearly, like the tang of fresh lemon in a sauce. In practice: 'The soup had a pleasant taste.' 'This cheese has a strong, nutty flavour.' 'He ate the chocolate slowly, savouring every bite.' 'The salad dressing had a refreshing tang of lime.'
Common collocations
Etymology
The word taste comes from the Latin verb tangere, meaning 'to touch.' In Latin, the verb tastare (a later form) developed the sense of 'to handle, touch, or try,' which then passed into Old French as taster — 'to touch, try, or taste.' The idea behind this is that tasting was originally thought of as a kind of touching with the tongue. The word entered Middle English around the 13th century as tasten, carrying both the physical meaning (to touch or examine by mouth) and the broader meaning (to experience or sample). Over centuries, the word expanded beyond flavour to include ideas of personal preference (a taste for music), aesthetic judgment (good taste in art), and brief experience (a taste of freedom), reflecting how a physical sensation became a metaphor for human discernment and desire.