palpable

adjective

pal·​pa·​ble ˈpal-pə-bəl 

1

: capable of being touched or felt : tangible

palpable lymph nodes

2

: easily perceptible : noticeable

a palpable difference

The attraction between them was palpable.

3

: easily perceptible by the mind : manifest

palpability

ˌpal-pə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

palpably

ˈpal-pə-blē 

adverb

Did you know?

Feel Out the Definition of Palpable

If you find it fascinating how English speakers push words with concrete meanings into figurative use, we feel you. By which we mean we understand you, of course, not that we are patting your head or poking you in the shoulder. Palpable, which has since the 14th century described things that can be literally felt through the skin (such as a person’s pulse), has undergone an expansion similar to that of feel over the centuries, and is now more frequently used to describe things that cannot be touched but are still so easy to perceive that it is as though they could be—such as "a palpable tension in the air."

Synonyms

• appreciable
• apprehensible
• detectable
• discernible
• discernable
• distinguishable
• perceptible
• sensible

Choose the Right Synonym for palpable

perceptible, sensible, palpable, tangible, appreciable, ponderable mean apprehensible as real or existent.

perceptible applies to what can be discerned by the senses often to a minimal extent.

a perceptible difference in sound to a careful listener

sensible applies to whatever is clearly apprehended through the senses or impresses itself strongly on the mind.

an abrupt, sensible drop in temperature

palpable applies either to what has physical substance or to what is obvious and unmistakable.

the tension in the air was almost palpable

tangible suggests what is capable of being handled or grasped both physically and mentally.

no tangible evidence of UFOs

appreciable applies to what is distinctly discernible by the senses or definitely measurable.

an appreciable increase in income

ponderable suggests having definitely measurable weight or importance.

exerted a ponderable influence on world events

Examples of palpable in a Sentence

A positive patch-test result, measured by a visible and palpable localized response, denotes a delayed hypersensitivity response … —Simon Kallal et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 7 Feb. 2008

There's a palpable feeling of community here: owner Lee McLemore stocks the store with a surprisingly large wine selection, police chief Andy Williams moonlights in the prepared-foods section and barbecues in the parking lot, and George Watkins personally fills the shelves with his superb tupelo honey. —Todd Coleman, Saveur, October 2006

When I'm back in nature after months of walking around on concrete and living in boxes, I feel a palpable internal shift. —Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, 2006

I felt a palpable sense of relief.

The attraction between them was palpable.

There was a palpable excitement in the air as the town prepared for the festival.

Recent Examples on the Web

And the road rage is palpable and knuckle-clenching as a traveling salesman tries to avoid getting run off the road and killed by a vengeful big rig driver. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 20 June 2025

The cruelty and fear being inflicted by one man who did not even take the time to visit Pasadena and Altadena during, or after, the fires is palpable in our community. —Victor M. Gordo, Time, 18 June 2025

The tension between established and new art, which seeks to simultaneously acknowledge greatness in the past while overturning its rank deficiencies, is often palpable. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025

There was zero doubt in her voice, but the time pressure was palpable. —Sam MacIlwaine, Outside Online, 16 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin palpabilis, from Latin palpare to stroke, caress — more at feel

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for palpable

• impalpable

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Kids Definition

palpable

adjective

pal·​pa·​ble ˈpal-pə-bəl 

1

: capable of being touched or felt : tangible

2

: easily sensed : noticeable

3

: easily understood or recognized : obvious

a palpable error

palpability

ˌpal-pə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

palpably

ˈpal-pə-blē 

adverb

Medical Definition

palpable

adjective

pal·​pa·​ble ˈpal-pə-bəl 

: capable of being touched or felt

especially : capable of being examined by palpation

the tip of the spleen was questionably palpable

—The Journal of the American Medical Association