Tastes and Smells: English Vocabulary List

describing food that has no flavor or taste

"The soup is insipid."

"The insipid soup had no salt pepper or any other seasoning and tasted like plain hot water with vegetables."

excessively sweet to the point of being unpleasant

"The perfume is cloying."

"The cloying perfume gave her a headache because it was so sweet and heavy that she could barely breathe in the small room."

describing food that does not have a pleasant taste

"The meal is unpalatable."

"The unpalatable meal was so bad that he could not finish it even though he was very hungry and had not eaten all day."

having a deliciously sweet and pleasant taste

"The juice is nectarous."

"The nectarous juice of the ripe mango was so sweet and delicious that she drank three glasses of it in a row."

having a stale, moldy, or damp odor, often associated with a lack of freshness and proper ventilation

"The old book smells musty."

"The musty smell of the old bookstore reminded him of his grandfather's library where he spent many happy hours reading as a child."

having a distinct and often pleasant natural scent

"Flowers are odoriferous."

"The odoriferous cheese was so strong that the delivery man could smell it through the cardboard box and the plastic wrapping."

describing food or aromas that are divine or heavenly

"The dessert is ambrosial."

"The ambrosial dessert was the best thing she had ever tasted and she asked the chef for the recipe immediately."

having a strong, pungent smell, often likened to the scent of a skunk

"The beer smells skunky."

"The skunky smell of the beer indicated that it had gone bad and was no longer safe to drink at all."

‌a taste that is not sour, bitter, salty, or sweet, found in some foods such as meat, etc.

"Umami is the fifth basic taste."

"Umami is the savory fifth taste found in foods like mushrooms aged cheese and soy sauce."

having a sharp, bitter, or sour taste

"The unripe fruit is astringent."

"The astringent taste of the unripe persimmon made my mouth pucker unpleasantly."

pleasing in taste

"This cake is dainty."

"The chef prepared a dainty dessert with delicate flavors that pleased the palate."

having a strong and unpleasant taste or smell

"The fish smelled rank."

"The forgotten leftovers in the back of the refrigerator had developed a rank odor that permeated the entire kitchen."

having an extremely unpleasant taste or smell

"There is a foul smell in the fridge."

"The foul odor coming from the refrigerator told her that something had spoiled and needed to be thrown away as soon as possible."

causing strong displeasure or disgust, particularly affecting the senses

"The odor is offensive."

"The offensive smell from the factory made it difficult for residents to enjoy sitting in their own backyards during the summer months."