2 syllables: dis, taste. Stress on taste.
dis-TAYST
/dɪˈsteɪst/
distaste is pronounced dis-TAYST (/dɪˈsteɪst/). It has two syllables (dis-taste), with the stress on "taste". Distaste refers to a feeling of aversion or dislike toward something, often accompanied by mild repulsion. It can also describe an instance of disliking something enough to avoid it or to avoid having a positive attitude toward it. The term combines a sense of dislike with a nuance of discomfort in reaction to a person, action, or object.
Distaste refers to a feeling of aversion or dislike toward something, often accompanied by mild repulsion. It can also describe an instance of disliking something enough to avoid it or to avoid having a positive attitude toward it. The term combines a sense of dislike with a nuance of discomfort in reaction to a person, action, or object.
"Her distaste for the bitter sauce was evident as she pushed the plate away."
"The board expressed distaste for the proposal, citing ethical concerns."
"She spoke with distaste about the rumor, unsure how to respond."
Distaste is pronounced /dɪˈsteɪst/ in US and UK English, with two syllables. The stress falls on the second syllable: dis-TASTE. Begin with /dɪ/ as in dip, then /steɪ/ rhymes with ‘stai’, and finish with /st/ cluster. Visualize the mouth: lips neutral, tongue high in the front of the mouth for /i/, then a broad /eɪ/ glide into /st/ closure. For a quick cue, think ‘this-TASTE’ without the strong ‘th’ sound. Audio examples can be found on Pronounce or Forvo for confirmation.
Common mistakes include misplacing stress (placing emphasis on the first syllable as dis-TASTE instead of dis-TASTE), and flattening the vowel in /eɪ/ to a short /e/ as in ‘destaste’. Another error is attempting to pronounce the final /t/ as a tapped /ɾ/ or dropping the final /st/ cluster to /s/ or /t/. The correct form emphasizes a clear /ˈsteɪst/ in the second syllable with a crisp /st/ at the end. Practice by isolating /steɪst/ and adding the initial /dɪ/.
In US/UK, distaste is /dɪˈsteɪst/ with secondary stability on the second syllable. US rhotics may influence vowel quality slightly; UK generally keeps clearer non-rhotic r, though this word ends with /st/ not affected by rhoticity. Australian English follows /dɪˈsteɪst/ as well, often with a slightly flatter /aɪ/ or /eɪ/ quality depending on speaker. The crucial differences lie in vowel length and jaw/lip tension rather than gross consonantal changes. All share the same stress pattern.
Distaste challenges include the two-syllable rhythm with final /st/ cluster and the diphthong /eɪ/. The /ɪ/ before the stressed diphthong can be misarticulated by rapid speech, and some speakers may vowel-tune /steɪ/ toward /stə/ if not careful. The sequence /d/ + /ɪ/ + /ˈsteɪst/ requires precise lip closure for /d/ and a clean release into the /st/ cluster; the mouth must stay relaxed to avoid adding an extra vowel or misplacing stress. IPA guidance: /dɪˈsteɪst/.
A unique aspect of distaste is the fixed stress on the second syllable, which can cause English learners to default to a trochaic pattern (STAB-blem) if not mindful. Keep the second syllable strong: /ˈsteɪst/ with a crisp /eɪ/ vowel and a distinct /st/ release, rather than a weakened, quick ‘-ate’ reading. This specificity helps distinguish distaste from words like ‘distasteful’ where stress shifts slightly, and from similar-sounding words like ‘disaste’ which are not standard.
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Distaste comes from the combination of the prefix dis- (expressing opposition or negation, from Latin dis-), the root word taste (from Old English tastian, via Latin gustus) meaning to perceive or savour by the sense of taste, and the suffix -e to form a noun. The word first appeared in English in the late 16th to early 17th century as a noun meaning ‘a feeling of dislike or aversion’; later it broadened to describe a demeanour or reaction that indicates distaste. Historically, distaste has been used in loaned contexts to refer to moral or aesthetic disapproval, not merely gustatory dislike, and in modern usage it also covers general aversion or repugnance toward ideas, behavior, or situations. The semantic shift emphasizes an internal sense of disapproval rather than an external action. The root taste traces back to Proto-Germanic kasut- (taste) and Proto-Indo-European *ted- (to know by feeling), aligning with cognates in several European languages that express aversion or lack of relish. First known English uses appeared in literary and moralistic texts, with distaste becoming more common in the 17th and 18th centuries as a broader term for disapproval beyond the palate. Modern usage retains both sensory and figurative senses, with collocations like “distaste for,” “distasteful behavior,” and “a distasteful remark.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "distaste" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "distaste"
-ste sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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