as in hereditary
genetically passed or capable of being passed from parent to offspring
heritable characteristics like skin and eye and hair color
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Recent Examples of heritable
Longevity, the authors estimated, was about 25 percent heritable, meaning the remaining three quarters was determined by environmental factors and lifestyle choices, such as diet and exercise.
—
Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2026
Temperament is partially heritable.
—Angela J. Narayan, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Most cases of early-onset cancer are not explained by a heritable factor, but Ng said those diagnosed with any cancer at a young age have a higher chance of being diagnosed with a hereditary syndrome, such as Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis.
—Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
It had been established that identical twins are quite a bit more similar in their IQ than fraternal twins and that intelligence differences are heritable in a limited statistical sense.
—Eric Turkheimer, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heritable
Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 29 Jan. 2026
Temperament is partially heritable.
—Angela J. Narayan, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Most cases of early-onset cancer are not explained by a heritable factor, but Ng said those diagnosed with any cancer at a young age have a higher chance of being diagnosed with a hereditary syndrome, such as Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis.
—Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
It had been established that identical twins are quite a bit more similar in their IQ than fraternal twins and that intelligence differences are heritable in a limited statistical sense.
—Eric Turkheimer, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heritable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heritable
Adjective
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The best parts of Barry feel hereditary.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
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Pulmonary embolism and hereditary coagulopathy — an arterial blockage in the lungs and issues with blood clotting either too much or too little — contributed to his death, People said.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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There are women who cannot carry pregnancies for a variety of reasons — genetic conditions, cancer and loss of uterus, for example.—
Ann Marie Luft,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
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With most tropical reefs expected to face conditions like the Gulf’s by 2100—and already faltering under increasingly frequent marine heat waves—that makes the Gulf’s coral a source of valuable genetic information about resilience that could have implications for the rest of the world’s reefs.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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And yet researchers examining muscle tissue from children with Duchenne have detected healthy cells capable of making normal dystrophin, evidence of a somatic mutation autocorrecting the inherited one.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Parliament voted to remove hereditary aristocrats from the House of Lords, ending a 700-year British political tradition of inherited seats.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Dias, on behalf of Owens’ estate, is seeking compensation for the past and future mental pain and suffering of Owens’ minor children, expenses of medical care and funeral arrangements arising from Owens’ death, loss of Owens’ prospective earnings and loss of inheritable estate.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Nov. 2025
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Citizenship strategy has moved from a fringe consideration to standard practice among high-net-worth families, with parents and grandparents increasingly viewing passports as a form of inheritable wealth.—
Alex Ohnona,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Videos posted on social media, showing missiles flying over the Persian Gulf, illustrated the inherent risk of working alongside the Navy during the Iran war.—
Steve Kastenbaum,
NPR,
9 May 2026
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Designed with inherent moisture-wicking properties, the quilt offers optimal breathability.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Heritable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heritable. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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