tastelessly
/ˈteɪstləsli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈteɪstləsli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtāst-ləs How to pronounce tasteless (audio)/ (ame, mw)
tastelessly — adverb
1. describes speech or conduct that shocks or offends people by going against accep
describes speech or conduct that shocks or offends people by going against accepted standards of decency
Reema joked tastelessly about her friend's car accident, making the whole room fall silent.
collocation: joked tastelessly about [topic]
The politician spoke tastelessly about the natural disaster while families were still grieving.
speak tastelessly about [+ sensitive topic]
Aoi's tastelessly worded email to the team caused several members to complain to the manager.
Mert behaved tastelessly during the ceremony and later apologised for his rudeness.
- insensitively
focuses more on lacking awareness of others' feelings rather than breaking social rules
- crudely
suggests a rougher, more vulgar manner than tastelessly
- offensively
more direct; stresses that the action caused anger or hurt
- tactfully
showing care and consideration in handling sensitive situations
- respectfully
showing proper respect for others' feelings
用法筆記
Commonly used with verbs of speaking such as joke, remark, comment, and speak. The object or topic is typically a sensitive subject.
常見錯誤
2. describes clothing, decoration, or design that shows little understanding of wha
describes clothing, decoration, or design that shows little understanding of what is attractive or fashionable
Pedro dressed tastelessly for the wedding in a bright orange jacket and purple shoes.
collocation: dressed tastelessly in [clothing]
The hotel lobby was decorated tastelessly with plastic plants and gold-coloured furniture.
passive: was decorated tastelessly with [items]
Beatrix paired the silk scarf with a tastelessly printed polyester dress.
Adina thought the cakes were arranged tastelessly, with bright colours clashing against each other.
- elegantly
graceful and stylish in appearance
- tastefully
showing good aesthetic judgment
用法筆記
Frequently collocates with verbs related to appearance: dress, decorate, arrange, furnish, and paint. Unlike the OFFENSIVELY sense, this sense relates to aesthetic judgment rather than social sensitivity.
常見錯誤
tastelessly — adjective
- tastelesslypositive
- more tastelesslycomparative
- most tastelesslysuperlative
1. describes food or drink that has very little noticeable flavour, making it unenj
describes food or drink that has very little noticeable flavour, making it unenjoyable to consume
The chicken was dry and tasteless, so Tomás covered it in sauce.
collocation: dry and tasteless
Without salt or herbs, the boiled vegetables were completely tasteless.
Talia refused to finish the tasteless soup the cafeteria served for lunch.
Joon added chilli flakes to the tasteless noodles to give them some flavour.
- bland
the closest synonym; also implies mildness and lack of strong flavour
- flavourless
more direct: having no flavour at all
- insipid
a more formal word meaning lacking strong taste or character
- flavourful
having a strong, pleasant taste
- spicy
having strong flavours from spices
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively for food, drink, and edible items. Unlike other senses, this one has no connection to social behaviour or aesthetic judgment.
常見錯誤
2. not interesting, exciting, or stimulating enough to hold someone's attention
not interesting, exciting, or stimulating enough to hold someone's attention
The lecture was so tasteless that half the students fell asleep.
pattern: so tasteless that [result]
Anthony found the museum exhibition tasteless and walked out after ten minutes.
Critics described the novel as a tasteless collection of familiar stories with no new ideas.
The game show was tasteless and repetitive, with the same jokes every week.
用法筆記
Describes things that fail to engage or stimulate: performances, books, speeches, events. This sense is less common in modern usage than senses 1 and 3.
常見錯誤
3. showing poor judgment about what is socially appropriate, attractive, or accepta
showing poor judgment about what is socially appropriate, attractive, or acceptable, especially regarding appearance, behaviour, or entertainment
His tasteless joke about the accident upset everyone at the dinner table.
collocation: tasteless joke
The Watanabe family thought the gold-plated furniture was tasteless and overly flashy.
That reality show is full of tasteless scenes designed only to shock viewers.
Wearing a bright red dress to a traditional funeral was considered tasteless by the villagers.
Dr. Okafor found the comedian's tasteless remarks about the hospital offensive and unprofessional.
用法筆記
This is the most common sense of the adjective. It covers a wide range of contexts — from clothing and decoration (like adverb sense 2) to jokes and behaviour (like adverb sense 1). Unlike the BLAND sense, it is never used for food.