perishable

3 synonyms and 3 antonyms for perishable, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adjective — Likely to go bad or rot quickly unless kept cool or used soon, said especially of food.

Synonyms

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

unstable

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

spoilable short-lived

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective

Likely to go bad or rot quickly unless kept cool or used soon, said especially of food.

“Perishable items such as milk and fish go straight into the chiller.”

spoilable short-lived unstable

Opposites

non-perishable shelf-stable imperishable

2. noun

A food or product that spoils quickly; usually used in the plural.

“Unload the perishables first.”

spoilable

How to use perishable

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

perishable goods perishable food highly perishable non-perishable items

Everyday and commercial. Very common in shipping, food safety and grocery contexts.

Etymology

From perish, from Old French perir, from Latin perire meaning 'to pass away, be destroyed', plus the suffix -able.

Full origin of perishable →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between perishable and non-perishable food?

Perishable food spoils within days unless refrigerated or frozen, such as meat, dairy, fish and fresh produce. Non-perishable food is shelf-stable for months or years at room temperature, such as tinned goods, pasta, rice and dried beans.

What counts as semi-perishable?

Semi-perishable foods keep for a few weeks or months if stored properly but will eventually spoil, such as potatoes, onions, flour, nuts and some hard cheeses. They sit between fresh produce and fully shelf-stable goods.

Why do perishable goods cost more to ship?

They need temperature-controlled transport, faster routing and tighter handling windows, and carriers absorb more risk because a delay can destroy the entire load. That cold chain is expensive to run and to insure.

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unstable spoilable imperishable

Nearby words

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