Describing Words

Words to Describe Food

12 hand-picked words

Talking about food gets much easier with the right words for how it tastes and how it feels in your mouth. Here are clear, everyday adjectives — from savoury to crunchy — each with a simple meaning and an example.

Good food descriptions usually mix a taste word with a texture word: "a rich, creamy sauce" or "a crisp, tangy apple."

How to use these

Pair a taste word with a texture word for a vivid description: "a crisp, tangy apple" or "a rich, creamy sauce."

Taste

How the food flavours.

Texture

How the food feels in your mouth.

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Frequently asked

What's the difference between taste and texture words?

Taste words describe flavour (savoury, tangy, bland); texture words describe how food feels in your mouth (crisp, chewy, creamy). The best food descriptions use one of each.

What are some words for food with no flavour?

"Bland" is the most common — it means lacking flavour. "Watery" (too diluted) and "flat" (dull, missing seasoning) work too.