salty
gb/sˈɔlti/ us/sˈɔlti/
A2
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
tasting strongly of salt
It tastes like salt or has a lot of salt in it.
Usage pattern:
[food/drink] is salty; salty [food]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse salty (taste of salt) with spicy (hot taste from chili).
Synonyms
salted (Often describes food that has had salt added.)
|
saline (More technical; often used for water or solutions.)
|
briny (Suggests seawater-like saltiness.)
Antonyms
unsalted (No salt has been added.)
|
bland (Lacking strong flavor, often including lack of salt.)
Collocations
too salty
|salty snack
|salty chips
|salty popcorn
|salty soup
|salty cheese
|salty broth
|salty sauce
|salty water
|salty taste
Themes
food
|daily_life
|health
Examples
- This soup is too salty, so I’m adding more water.
- The pretzels were salty and crunchy.
- I accidentally swallowed some salty water while swimming.
Learner examples
- The fries are salty.
- This cheese is very salty.
adjective
slang
C1
state
2
annoyed and resentful
Angry or upset about something (informal).
Usage pattern:
[someone] is salty (about [something]); salty about [something]
Common mistake:
This meaning is informal; in formal writing, use upset, annoyed, or resentful instead.
Synonyms
bitter (Stronger and longer-lasting resentment.)
|
resentful (More formal; focused on feeling treated unfairly.)
|
sore (Informal; often used after losing (as in 'a sore loser').)
|
annoyed (More general and usually milder.)
Antonyms
gracious (Polite and calm, especially in defeat.)
|
good-natured (Friendly and not easily offended.)
|
unbothered (Not upset or affected by it (informal).)
Collocations
salty about losing
|salty about it
|salty comment
|salty reply
|salty response
|salty attitude
|salty online
|salty after the game
|salty fan
|salty mood
Themes
emotions
|internet
|sports
|social_life
Examples
- He was salty about not being invited to the meeting.
- Don’t get salty just because you lost.
- Her salty comments made the conversation uncomfortable.
Learner examples
- I’m salty about the result.
adjective
B2
property
3
smelling like the sea
It smells or tastes like the sea.
Usage pattern:
salty [air/breeze/wind/spray]
Common mistake:
In this sense, salty often describes air or wind, not food.
Synonyms
briny (More literary; strongly suggests seawater.)
|
sea-scented (Explicitly refers to the smell of the sea.)
Antonyms
fresh (Not salty; often used for inland air or fresh water.)
Collocations
salty air
|salty breeze
|salty wind
|salty spray
|salty smell
|salty mist
|salty ocean air
Themes
nature
|travel
Examples
- We stepped outside and breathed in the salty air.
- A salty breeze came off the water as the sun set.
- The towels smelled salty after a day at the beach.
Learner examples
- I like the salty sea air.
adjective
informal
C1
property
4
expensive for what it is
Too expensive (informal).
Usage pattern:
[price/cost/bill] is salty; a bit salty
Common mistake:
This meaning is more common in some varieties of English; if unsure, use expensive or pricey.
Synonyms
pricey (Common informal word for expensive.)
|
steep (Often used for prices that feel unreasonably high.)
|
overpriced (Directly states the price is too high for the value.)
Antonyms
cheap (Low in price.)
|
affordable (Reasonably priced for most people.)
Collocations
a bit salty
|pretty salty
|salty price
|salty bill
|salty rates
|salty fees
Themes
money
|shopping
|travel
Examples
- The drinks were a bit salty for such small glasses.
- Parking downtown is pretty salty on weekends.
- The repair bill was salty, but we didn’t have a choice.
Learner examples
- The tickets are salty.
adjective
informal
C1
property
5
coarse or risqué
A little rude or not polite.
Usage pattern:
salty [language/joke/story/humor]
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse this with the taste meaning; here it describes words or jokes.
Synonyms
raunchy (More strongly sexual.)
|
risqué (Suggestive but often playful and less crude.)
|
coarse (Emphasizes lack of refinement and possible offensiveness.)
Antonyms
clean (Not offensive; suitable for general audiences.)
|
polite (Socially acceptable and respectful.)
Collocations
salty language
|salty joke
|salty humor
|salty remark
|salty story
|a little salty
Themes
communication
|humor
|media
Examples
- The show can get a little salty after midnight.
- He apologized for using salty language in front of the kids.
- Some of the jokes were too salty for my taste.
Learner examples
- That joke is salty.
adjective
literary
C2
property
6
tough, seasoned, and experienced
Experienced and tough (often about sailors).
Usage pattern:
a salty [sailor/veteran/old man]
Common mistake:
This sense is less common and can sound old-fashioned outside sea-related contexts.
Synonyms
seasoned (Common word for very experienced; not sea-specific.)
|
hardened (Emphasizes toughness gained through difficulty.)
|
weathered (Suggests age and experience from harsh conditions.)
Antonyms
inexperienced (Not having much experience.)
|
green (Informal; new and untrained.)
Collocations
salty old sailor
|salty veteran
|salty old dog
|salty captain
Themes
work
|people
|travel
Examples
- A salty old sailor sat at the bar telling stories.
- They hired a salty veteran who had seen every kind of problem.
- Her voice had the salty confidence of someone who’d worked outdoors for decades.
Grammar
Dictionary form
salty
IPA
GB/sˈɔlti/
US/sˈɔlti/
Syllables & stress
salty (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (salty)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: salty
- Comparative: saltier
- Superlative: saltiest
Expressions
be salty (about [something])
1/bˈi sˈɔlti əbˈaʊt sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
slang
be annoyed or resentful
To be angry or upset about something (informal).
Examples
- She’s still salty about the way the project ended.
- Why are you so salty about a harmless joke?
- They were salty about the referee’s call.
get salty
1/ɡˈɛt sˈɔlti/
fixed phrase
slang
become annoyed or resentful
To start feeling angry or upset (informal).
Examples
- He got salty when his idea was ignored.
- Try not to get salty if you don’t win.
- People get salty in the comments section really fast.
salty dog
1/sˈɔlti dˈɔɡ/
fixed phrase
vodka grapefruit cocktail
A drink with vodka (or gin) and grapefruit juice, with salt on the glass.
Examples
- I ordered a Salty Dog with a salted rim.
- The bartender recommended the Salty Dog because I like grapefruit.
- They served Salty Dogs in tall glasses with lots of ice.
stay salty
1/stˈeɪ sˈɔlti/
fixed phrase
slang
keep being upset (taunt)
A rude way to say: keep being angry.
Examples
- He replied, “Stay salty,” and muted the chat.
- If you don’t like the decision, stay salty—I’m moving on.
- They posted “stay salty” under every complaint.