passable

adjective

pass·​able ˈpa-sə-bəl 

1

a

: capable of being passed, crossed, or traveled on

passable roads

b

: capable of being freely circulated

2

: good enough : adequate

passably

ˈpa-sə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms of passable

• navigable

Examples of passable in a Sentence

The main road is passable but most others are still covered with snow.

The river is passable during the summer months.

He did a passable job with the assignment.

She plays passable golf but prefers tennis.

Recent Examples on the Web

The acting is passable, more or less, but dialogue is often rigidly expository or cliché or both. — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026

Energy analysts have warned that oil and natural gas prices are likely to remain elevated until the strait is passable, even as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates seek to expand other routes to get their crude to market. — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026

Anyone can now generate marketing materials, animations, even a passable news story with a keystroke. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 31 July 2026

There are currently no flights to this part of the country, so people are entirely dependent on passable roads. — Betsy Joles, NPR, 29 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for passable

• impassable
• impassible
• irascible
• unsurpassable

Kids Definition

passable

adjective

pass·​able ˈpas-ə-bəl 

1

: capable of being passed, crossed, or traveled on

passable roads

2

: barely good enough : tolerable

a passable imitation

passably

-blē 

adverb