adjective

rancid

/ˈrænsɪd/ · say it: RAN·sid

smelling or tasting stale and unpleasant

In Describing & Comparing

In more detail

1. (adjective) (of fats or oils) having gone bad and having an unpleasant smell or taste

2. (adjective) extremely unpleasant or morally bad

Examples

1. The butter went rancid after sitting in the heat for too long.
2. The regime was known for its rancid corruption and violence.

How to use rancid

Rancid primarily describes fats and oils that have chemically degraded and become unpalatable, but it also extends metaphorically to describe something morally corrupt or deeply offensive. In culinary contexts, it is a practical, neutral descriptor; in figurative use, it carries strong negative judgment and appears more in literary or expressive writing.

Common phrases

rancid butter
rancid oil
rancid smell
turn rancid
rancid taste

Synonyms

rotten · putrid · spoiled · corrupt · vile

Opposites

fresh · pure · wholesome

Word family

rancidity (noun) · rancidly (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use rancid only for literal food spoilage and miss its metaphorical extension to morality or social contexts, where it is equally common in English.

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