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Synonyms

tasty

American  
[tey-stee] / ˈteɪ sti /

adjective

tastier, tastiest
  1. good-tasting; savory.

    a tasty canapé.

    Synonyms:
    appetizing, toothsome, delectable, delicious
  2. Informal. having or showing good taste; tasteful.


tasty British  
/ ˈteɪstɪ /

adjective

  1. having a pleasant flavour

  2. informal attractive: used chiefly by men when talking of women

  3. informal skilful or impressive

    she was a bit tasty with a cutlass

  4. (of cheddar cheese) having a strong flavour

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See palatable.

Other Word Forms

  • tastily adverb
  • tastiness noun
  • untastily adverb
  • untasty adjective

Etymology

Origin of tasty

First recorded in 1610–20; taste + -y 1

Explanation

Things that taste great are tasty. You could describe your favorite foods, from doughnuts to baked ziti, as tasty. While tasty basically means the same thing as yummy or flavorful, it implies a less serious compliment than the word delicious, for example. Potato chips are tasty, and so are grilled cheese sandwiches and soft serve ice cream cones. They're pleasant and appetizing, but not necessarily the most amazing food you've ever eaten. Tasty once had a secondary meaning of "elegant" or "tasteful."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing tasty

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.

For the most part, they’re branded products manufactured to be convenient, tasty, shelf-stable and difficult to stop eating.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

"It's perfectly possible to turn this around" and promote healthy, tasty and affordable food, he added.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Dessert was the Cloud, a cotton candy-based treat arriving with a flambéed, Instagram-worthy presentation—and it was just as tasty as it was shareable.

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2026

It feels like a tasty confection with nutritional value.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2026

It’s our big fund-raiser for the Filipino American Community Senior Center, with dizzying rides, tasty food, and all my friends hanging out.

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio