unpalatable

/ʌnˈpælətəbl/ (bre, ipa) · [ənpˈælətəbəl] /ʌnˈpælətəbl/ (ame, ipa) · [ənpˈælətəbəl] /ˌən-ˈpa-lə-tə-bəl How to pronounce unpalatable (audio)/ (ame, mw)

unpalatable — adjective

  • unpalatablepositive
  • more unpalatablecomparative
  • most unpalatablesuperlative

1. 指事實、想法或消息令人不愉快或震驚，因而使人難以接受或面對。

1.形容詞C1
釋義

指事實、想法或消息令人不愉快或震驚，因而使人難以接受或面對。

例句

The audit report revealed several unpalatable facts about the factory's safety violations.

collocation: unpalatable fact / truth / reality / news

Many residents found the mayor's plan to cut bus services politically unpalatable.

adverb modifier: politically unpalatable

同義詞
  • distasteful

    stronger moral or emotional disapproval; suggests something offensive rather than merely hard to accept

  • unpleasant

    broader and less formal; can apply to many situations, not just ideas

  • objectionable

    focuses on the idea that someone should disagree or protest

反義詞
  • palatable

    the direct antonym; describes ideas that are easy to accept

  • acceptable

    more common and broader, but less specific to the 'mental taste' metaphor

文法句型

unpalatable + noun (fact/truth/news/reality)

unpalatable + to + noun

用法筆記

Typically modifies abstract nouns such as fact, truth, reality, news, or idea. The subject is usually a piece of information or a situation, not a person.

常見錯誤

❌The food was unpalatable to me' (when you mean the food was physically unpleasant to eat).
✅The food was unpalatable
💡for literal bad taste, use sense 2. Sense 1 is for ideas and situations, not food.

2. 指食物味道不好，難吃或難以下嚥。

2.形容詞B2
釋義

指食物味道不好，難吃或難以下嚥。

例句

The hotel cafeteria served an unpalatable stew that was both watery and bland.

unpalatable before food noun (stew/dish/meal)

Brandon found the lentil soup completely unpalatable and pushed the bowl away.

find + food + completely unpalatable

同義詞
  • inedible

    stronger — suggests the food is unsafe or impossible to eat, not just unpleasant

  • unappetizing

    focuses on appearance or smell before eating rather than taste

  • bland

    narrower — only means lacking flavour, not necessarily unpleasant

反義詞
  • palatable

    the direct antonym; describes food that tastes pleasant

  • tasty

    more common and informal; means good-tasting

文法句型

unpalatable + food/dish/meal

find + food + unpalatable

用法筆記

Used primarily with concrete food nouns. More formal than 'tastes bad' or 'disgusting'; often found in written reviews, descriptions, or formal complaints about food quality.

常見錯誤

❌This idea is unpalatable' (when you mean the idea is distasteful — use sense 1 for ideas).
✅This stew is unpalatable' (sense 2 is for food you can taste).