DISTASTEFUL

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does distasteful mean? 

• DISTASTEFUL (adjective)
  The adjective DISTASTEFUL has 2 senses:

1. not pleasing in odor or taste

2. highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust

  Familiarity information: DISTASTEFUL used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DISTASTEFUL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Not pleasing in odor or taste

Synonyms:

distasteful; unsavory; unsavoury

Similar:

unpalatable (not pleasant or acceptable to the taste or mind)

Derivation:

distastefulness (extreme unpalatability to the mouth)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust

Synonyms:

disgustful; disgusting; distasteful; foul; loathly; loathsome; repellant; repellent; repelling; revolting; skanky; wicked; yucky

Context example:

a wicked stench

Similar:

offensive (unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses)

Derivation:

distastefulness (the quality of being offensive)

 Context examples 

Martin did not know it, but he did know that it was not distasteful to her.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

A close observer might have gathered that the topic was distasteful; but the doctor carried it off gaily.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Horner and Smoke had been displaying a gallantry toward Maud Brewster, ludicrous in itself and inoffensive to her, but to him evidently distasteful.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

It was distasteful to his instinct.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Yet, after all, as a friend and companion, I hope never to become quite distasteful to my dear master.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Without social transmission taking place in predator species such as great tits, it becomes extremely difficult for conspicuously coloured prey to outlast and outcompete alternative prey, even if they are distasteful or toxic.

(Birds learn from each other’s ‘disgust’, enabling insects to evolve bright colours, University of Cambridge)

The ale-drinking, the rude good-fellowship, the heartiness, the laughter at discomforts, the craving to see the fight—all these may be set down as vulgar and trivial by those to whom they are distasteful; but to me, listening to the far-off and uncertain echoes of our distant past, they seem to have been the very bones upon which much that is most solid and virile in this ancient race was moulded.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

On that subject poor Miss Bates was very unhappy, and very communicative; Jane would hardly eat any thing:—Mr. Perry recommended nourishing food; but every thing they could command (and never had any body such good neighbours) was distasteful.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

We have many most respectable and worthy young women who do the same and are employed by the nobility, because, being the daughters of gentlemen, they are both well bred and accomplished, you know, said Miss Kate in a patronizing tone that hurt Meg's pride, and made her work seem not only more distasteful, but degrading.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I should have thought that only a sub-human intelligence could have failed to grasp the point, but if it really needs amplification I shall consent to see you at the hour named, though visits and visitors of every sort are exceeding distasteful to me.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)