insipid

Insipid is an adjective describing something that lacks flavor or zest, or more broadly, something dull, bland, or lifeless. In culinary contexts, insipid foods have little distinguishing taste and may feel flat on the palate. In figurative use, insipid can describe ideas, performances, or personalities that are uninteresting, uninspired, or lacking in imagination.

Etymology: from Latin insipidus “tasteless, flavorless,” formed from in- “not” + sapidus “savory, tasty” (from sapor “taste”). The sense arrived in English in the late 16th century and has retained a negative connotation.

Forms: insipid is the base adjective; insipidity or insipidness is the corresponding noun, and insipidly is the adverb. Common related terms include bland, vapid, and flavorless, though insipid often implies a more pointed deficiency in interest or vitality rather than mere lack of flavor.

Usage notes: The word is typically used in evaluative or critical contexts. While it can describe food, it more often conveys disappointment with what fails to excite the senses or intellect. In literature and criticism, insipid characters or arguments invite dismissive judgments rather than serious engagement.

See also: vapid, bland, flavor, sapid, tasteless.