tasteful
Americanadjective
adjective
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indicating good taste
a tasteful design
-
a rare word for tasty
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tasteful
Explanation
Tasteful things are elegant, appropriate, or aesthetically pleasing. You may prefer to hang a single, tasteful holiday wreath on your door — while your neighbor decorates with a somewhat less tasteful 12-foot inflatable Santa surrounded by hot pink reindeer. If you've got good manners, your behavior is tasteful. Having an eye for clothing and decor that's lovely (rather than tacky, ugly or disturbing in some way) is tasteful too. This adjective started came into use in the 17th century. It originally meant "tasting good" but it evolved to mean "having good taste."
Vocabulary lists containing tasteful
What If It's Us
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Honestly Elliott
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Criminal Destiny
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But critics argue the bare nails trend actually says something about class, the hamster wheel of beauty standards, and who gets to define what is considered tasteful.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
A tasteful local cup, perhaps communicating discernment and neighborhood loyalty?
From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026
“The George Floyd joke, it wasn’t a tasteful joke to our culture,” Hart told the podcast.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
Who was to say online brands couldn’t make the world a brighter, more tasteful place?
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 23, 2026
A caterer served food as music blared over stereo speakers and people remarked on the tasteful grandeur of the house.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
