# develop a taste for

CEFR B2 · Idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/develop-a-taste-for
Updated: 2026-07-28

## Definition

to start to like something that you did not like before or that you found strange at first.

For teachers: to acquire a preference or liking for something through experience or repeated exposure. Often used with things that are initially challenging or sophisticated, such as specific foods, genres of art, or complex hobbies.

## Examples

- I have recently developed a taste for spicy food.
- After living in London for a year, he developed a taste for afternoon tea and rainy walks.
- Although she initially found the composer's work dissonant and jarring, she gradually developed a taste for modern avant-garde jazz.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I developed a taste to olives." but "I developed a taste for olives." — the noun 'taste' in this expression requires the preposition 'for' to connect to the object.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a noun or a gerund representing the new interest.
- Teaching tip: the word 'develop' implies a process over time; it is a useful alternative to 'start to like' when discussing acquired tastes like coffee, olives, or classical music.

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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.