Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective appreciable contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of appreciable are palpable, perceptible, ponderable, sensible, and tangible. While all these words mean "apprehensible as real or existent," appreciable applies to what is distinctly discernible by the senses or definitely measurable.

an appreciable increase in income

When is palpable a more appropriate choice than appreciable?

In some situations, the words palpable and appreciable are roughly equivalent. However, palpable applies either to what has physical substance or to what is obvious and unmistakable.

the tension in the air was almost palpable

When could perceptible be used to replace appreciable?

While the synonyms perceptible and appreciable are close in meaning, perceptible applies to what can be discerned by the senses often to a minimal extent.

a perceptible difference in sound to a careful listener

Where would ponderable be a reasonable alternative to appreciable?

The words ponderable and appreciable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ponderable suggests having definitely measurable weight or importance.

exerted a ponderable influence on world events

When can sensible be used instead of appreciable?

The synonyms sensible and appreciable are sometimes interchangeable, but sensible applies to whatever is clearly apprehended through the senses or impresses itself strongly on the mind.

an abrupt, sensible drop in temperature

When might tangible be a better fit than appreciable?

Although the words tangible and appreciable have much in common, tangible suggests what is capable of being handled or grasped both physically and mentally.

no tangible evidence of UFOs

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of appreciable While Leicester’s unwise approach aided Newcastle, there was also appreciable improvement in every aspect of the home side’s play. Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024 Authoritarian leaders ignore judges and courts with impunity, and adding courts to democracies has no appreciable effect on their protection of civic freedoms or minority rights. Ian Shapiro, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2014 The system boasts an overall accident rate of 1 to 1.35 preventable accidents with either personal injury or appreciable property damage per million miles traveled, which Hardesty said is an exceptional record by any standard. Thomas Goodwin Smith, Baltimore Sun, 20 Nov. 2024 That would represent a big change in cities such as Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Trenton, New Jersey, where records were broken for a number of days without appreciable rain before showers reached the region Sunday. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 12 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for appreciable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appreciable
Adjective
  • The flare cut is also wide enough to be noticeable, but slim enough to wear without feeling too voluminous.
    Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
  • The lighter weight is definitely noticeable, which coupled with the rounded corners make the phone much more comfortable to hold.
    Ben Sin, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Overture would be able to fly at Mach 1.3 (about 1,000 mph) without an audible boom, reducing U.S. coast-to-coast flight times by up to 90 minutes — if there wasn’t a law prohibiting supersonic flights overland.
    Jackie Snow, Quartz, 18 Feb. 2025
  • The transmission was audible on both aircraft cockpit voice recorders.
    CBS News, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Not that the plan is to change — with the subsequent vast squad turnover that follows to no discernible improvement — every two or three years.
    Andy Mitten, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Some of them are pure awful, but others have discernible hints of genius lost amidst all the narrative rubble and CGI noise.
    Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Because far-off stars would be static over successive nights, nearer, moving objects would stand out against the backdrop — but, for an object as distant as Pluto, the motion would be barely perceptible.
    John Loeffler, Space.com, 18 Feb. 2025
  • By modernizing systems and processes where unnecessary friction exists, the healthcare industry can make improvements that have a perceptible impact on those delivering and receiving care.
    Amanda Eisel, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Appreciable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appreciable. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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