amenable

ame·na·ble

adjective \ə-ˈmē-nə-bəl, -ˈme-\

Definition of AMENABLE

1

: liable to be brought to account : answerable <citizens amenable to the law>

2

a : capable of submission (as to judgment or test) : suited <the data is amenable to analysis>

b : readily brought to yield, submit, or cooperate <a government not amenable to change>

c : willing 1 <was amenable to spending more time at home>

— ame·na·bil·i·ty \-ˌmē-nə-ˈbil-ət-ē, -ˌme-\ noun

— ame·na·bly \-ˈmē-nə-blē, -ˈme-\ adverb

Examples of AMENABLE

1. <whatever you decide to do, I'm amenable—just let me know>
2. <our normally balky cat becomes the most amenable of creatures when confronted with the strange environment of the veterinary clinic>
3. Mr. Bush is in a position to make his party more amenable to minorities and especially blacks. He should seize the moment. —Jason L. Riley, Wall Street Journal, 16 Jan. 2003
4. While no one yet knows how wide … margins can go, contracts establish royalty rates and project them far into the future. Many agents have thus pushed for a term of license of just a few years. Publishers, however, are not always amenable. —Steven M. Zeitchik, Publishers Weekly, 14 June 1999
5. Some of the newer findings address a vexing flaw in the sole noninvasive screening test for detecting microscopic prostate cancer, the form most amenable to a cure. —Marc B. Garnick et al., Scientific American, December 1998
6. … depression, schizophrenia and manic depression, mental troubles that are now considered amenable to treatment by drug therapy … —Sherry Turkle, London Review of Books, 19 Mar. 1998

Origin of AMENABLE

Anglo-French, from amener to bring, compel, from a- (from Latin ad-) + mener to lead, from Late Latin minare to drive, from Latin minari to threaten — more at mount

First Known Use: 1596

Related to AMENABLE

Synonyms

willing, disposed, fain, game, glad, inclined, minded, ready

Antonyms

disinclined, unamenable, unwilling

Related Words

predisposed, prone; accommodating, agreeable, compliant, cooperative, obedient, obliging, submissive; favorable, receptive; prepared, prompt, quick, responsive, swift; desirous, eager, enthused, enthusiastic, excited

Near Antonyms

averse, loath (also loth or loathe), reluctant, reticent

See Synonym Discussion at responsible, obedient

Rhymes with AMENABLE

untenable