unpalatable

Everyday

1. Unpalatable food or drink tastes unpleasant. tree →
2. An unpalatable fact or idea is unpleasant and hard to accept: «the unpalatable truth». tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on animals, some insects taste unpalatable so birds learn not to eat them (bright colours warn of this). In news and history, leaders face unpalatable choices. In stories, an unpalatable truth is one a character does not want to hear. Phrases: «unpalatable truth», «unpalatable choice».

Examples

• The hospital food was cold and unpalatable. tree →
• Monarch butterflies are unpalatable to birds. tree →
• The unpalatable truth was that we had lost every match. tree →
• The medicine was unpalatable, so Mum mixed it with juice. tree →
• The council faced an unpalatable choice between closing the library and the pool. tree →
• Burnt porridge is completely unpalatable. tree →

Note

Formal word. Stress: un-PAL-a-ta-bul. «Palate» is the roof of your mouth (and your sense of taste); do not confuse with «palette» (paints) or «pallet» (wooden platform). Opposite: palatable.