Richly flavorful in a salty, spiced, or umami direction rather than a sweet one.
Reach for it when describing appetizing food by its flavor family, not merely saying it tastes good
Roasted mushrooms gave the broth a deep savory character.
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday |
|
| warm | |
| professional | |
| literary |
playful
Fits when informal British praise for wanting another bite fits
Careful Moreish reports appetite, not the sweet-versus-savory character.
everyday
Fits when strong pleasant taste is all that matters
Careful Flavorful includes sweet dishes, leaving the taste family unspecified.
warm
Fits when appearance or aroma makes food inviting
Careful Food can smell appetizing before anyone knows whether it tastes savory.
professional
umami-rich
Fits when glutamate-associated depth is the specific quality
Careful Savory covers herbs, salt, and spice beyond umami alone.
professional
Fits when balanced salt and seasoning deserve praise
Careful A well-seasoned dessert is possible, and excess seasoning can mask ingredients.
literary
Fits when pleasantly sharp spice or tang leads the flavor
Careful Piquant is brighter and more biting than many savory foods.
savory dish
The savory dish paired lentils with roasted peppers.
savory flavor
A savory flavor developed as the onions browned slowly.
savory aroma
The savory aroma drew the hikers toward the kitchen.
Keep in mind
Savory can also mean morally respectable, but that sense is uncommon and often appears in the negative word unsavory.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: recorded by Dvortygirl, California accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated
Your browser isn't saving lists, so this one will be cleared when you leave the page.