# bad taste in one's mouth

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bad-taste-in-ones-mouth
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A feeling that something is morally despicable as to cause nausea.

## Examples

- The unfair decision left a bad taste in my mouth.
- The way he treats his assistants leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
- Lying to your best friend usually leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
- When the company fired him without warning, it left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.
- Watching the neighbors argue about money in front of their young children left a bad taste in my mouth for the rest of the evening.
- Although the store offered me a refund, the rude way the manager spoke to me still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
- The politician's hollow apology, delivered only after public pressure, left a bad taste in the voters' mouths and damaged his credibility beyond repair.

## Origin

The phrase derives from the literal sensation of nausea or the lingering aftereffects of physical illness. It entered the lexicon as a figurative expression by drawing a direct parallel between the physiological discomfort of a foul palate and a sense of moral or aesthetic dissatisfaction.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.