potable

adjective

po·ta·ble | \ ˈpō-tə-bəl

, military often ˈpä-\

Definition of potable

(Entry 1 of 2)

: suitable for drinking

potable

noun

Definition of potable (Entry 2 of 2)

: a liquid that is suitable for drinking especially : an alcoholic beverage

Other Words from potable Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about potable

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Other Words from potable

Adjective

potability \ ˌpō-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

potableness \ ˈpō-tə-bəl-nəs

, military often ˈpä- \ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for potable

Synonyms: Adjective

drinkable

Synonyms: Noun

alcohol, aqua vitae, ardent spirits, booze, bottle, drink, firewater, grog, hooch [slang], inebriant, intoxicant, John Barleycorn, juice [slang], liquor, lush [slang], moonshine, rum, sauce [slang], spirits, stimulant, strong drink, tipple

Antonyms: Adjective

undrinkable

Antonyms: Noun

nonintoxicant

Examples of potable in a Sentence

Adjective

around here, the only potable water comes from wells

Noun

hid the potables in the back hall closet keeps the wet bar stocked with an array of top-shelf liquors, mixers, and other fine potables

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The printer used for the home, the Vulcan, is designed with common constraints in mind for places such as Haiti and rural El Salvador—unpredictable power, little technical assistance, and potable water not guaranteed. — Maya Mcdowell, House Beautiful, "This Tiny House Was 3D-Printed in Less Than 48 Hours," 20 Mar. 2019 Utah’s water-delivery systems are largely gravity-fed, thus keeping costs down, and most homeowners have access to unmetered non-potable water for landscaping and irrigation. — Jake Bullinger, WIRED, "America's Fastest-Growing Urban Area Has a Water Problem," 22 May 2018 Despite loss of power, limited cabin heat and a shortage of potable water, the crew converted a potentially catastrophic loss into a victory of will and grace under pressure. — Carie Lemack, Space.com, "Apollo 13's Importance: How Failure Can Lead to Great Success," 31 May 2018 Its water system is able to capture rainwater and generate potable water from the humidity lingering in the air. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "Tiny house from UN Environment and Yale raises the bar for eco-living," 11 July 2018 There is a bathroom, RV dump station, grills (no campfires allowed) and potable water. — Scott Craven, azcentral, "Lees Ferry: Gateway to Grand Canyon rafting and the Colorado River," 9 July 2018 Local supplies Green groups have long extolled the virtues of recycling sewage into potable drinking water. — Joshua Emerson Smith, sandiegouniontribune.com, "San Diego's efforts to divest from rival L.A. water agency have driven up rates for residents. Is it worth it?," 1 July 2018 There is not a single Indian city that can provide potable water from its taps. — Kamakshi Ayyar, Time, "The Global Water Crisis: Why Are India’s Taps Running Dry?," 6 June 2018 The records showed children also complained of being deprived of edible food and potable water. — CBS News, "ACLU report: Records claim border agents neglected, abused migrant kids," 25 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

But the pub’s most noteworthy offering, perhaps, isn’t potable. — Emma Silvers, San Francisco Chronicle, "The story of the Albany pub where time stands still," 16 May 2018 Another specialty of the house is on the potable, not edible, side. — Bruce Ingram, chicagotribune.com, "Guide to outdoor dining in Chicago suburbs: The Harp and Fiddle in Park Ridge," 5 July 2018 The Hemlock Negroni—who knew hemlock was potable?—makes for a good nightcap. — Elizabeth Dunn, WSJ, "A Stress-Free Summer Weekend in the Catskills," 15 June 2018 Residents and the hospitality industry have gotten creative, using water from ice buckets and other non-potable sources to mop floors and adding aerators to water taps to limit water flow by literally adding air to the stream. — Meredith Carey, Condé Nast Traveler, "Cape Town Has Avoided 'Day Zero,' But Water Conservation Is Still in Effect," 15 Mar. 2018 Their non-potable classification is why bitters may be sold in stores that don't sell hard liquor. — chicagotribune.com, "Bitters are essential to a good cocktail, but which ones should you buy?," 7 Feb. 2018 Puerto Rico reports 96 percent of the island has water, but there are questions about how much of it is potable. — Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, "San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz blasts FEMA decision to end food, water aid to Puerto Rico," 30 Jan. 2018 Some parks have primitive campsites for backpackers with no amenities, although some offer potable water. — Bob Rountree, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Exploring Florida’s Panhandle, campground by campground," 13 Dec. 2017 One potable water plant is down but water is still safe to drink, Nelson said. — Krista Torralva, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Hurricane Irma has Osceola, Polk surveying flood waters, beginning cleanup," 11 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'potable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.