acquired taste
C1Informal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
A liking for something that is not immediately enjoyable or appealing and develops only over time after repeated exposure.
Something (a food, drink, hobby, person, style, etc.) that one learns to appreciate or enjoy despite an initial negative or neutral reaction.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The phrase can refer to the abstract concept of developing a liking (e.g., "Whisky is an acquired taste.") or be used metaphorically to describe a person (e.g., "His humour is an acquired taste."). It implies effort and patience are required to appreciate the thing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Slightly more associated with food/drink in everyday conversation. In both varieties, it can carry a mild, self-deprecating or apologetic tone when describing one's own preferences.
Frequency
Equally common in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
NP be [det] acquired tasteNP have an acquired taste for NPacquire a taste for NPVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “grow on someone”
- “an/one's cup of tea (negated: 'not my cup of tea')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly used metaphorically for unconventional business strategies or products that require market education.
Academic
Used in sensory science, psychology (hedonic shift), and cultural studies to describe aesthetic or cultural preferences.
Everyday
Commonly used for food, drink (coffee, blue cheese), music genres, humour, and personal habits.
Technical
Used in food science and oenology to describe flavour profiles not immediately palatable to the uninitiated.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I don't like olives. My friend says they are an acquired taste.
- Blue cheese is an acquired taste; many people find it too strong at first.
- The director's unconventional style is something of an acquired taste, but her films are deeply rewarding once you get used to them.
- Abstract expressionism was dismissed by early critics as mere chaos, but it proved to be an acquired taste that came to define a generation's aesthetic.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine 'acquiring' a taste like buying a strange painting. At first, you don't like it, but after hanging it on your wall (repeated exposure), you start to appreciate its unique value.
Conceptual Metaphor
TASTE IS AN ACQUIRED SKILL / PREFERENCE IS PROPERTY (one 'acquires' a taste as one acquires property).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation as 'приобретённый вкус'. Use 'привилегия вкуса' or, more idiomatically, 'на любителя' ('это на любителя').
Common Mistakes
- Using it for things that are universally disliked (it implies some *do* eventually like it). Confusing it with 'good taste' (aesthetic judgment).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'acquired taste' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it can be used metaphorically. E.g., 'His blunt manner is an acquired taste,' meaning it takes time to appreciate his directness.
It is neutral, leaning slightly positive as it acknowledges that appreciation is possible. It often prefaces a defence of something unusual.
'An acquired taste' is a noun phrase describing the *thing itself*. 'Grow on someone' is a verb phrase describing the *process* of starting to like it.
The standard phrasing is 'X is an acquired taste' or 'I have acquired a taste for X'. 'I have an acquired taste' without an object is incomplete and unnatural.