readable

1 of 2

adjective

read·​able ˈrē-də-bəl 

: able to be read easily: such as

a

: legible

b

: interesting to read

a highly readable novel

readability

ˌrē-də-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

readableness

ˈrē-də-bəl-nəs 

noun

readably

ˈrē-də-blē 

adverb

readability

2 of 2

noun

read·​abil·​i·​ty ˌrē-də-ˈbi-lə-tē 

: the quality or state of being readable

traces our history with skill and readability

—R. L. Duffus

the physical readability of the book is poor because of its heavy, close typography

—Robert Halsband

testing the readability of prose by measuring the length of sentences

—F. L. Mott

improvement in the readability of newspaper writing

—Bruce Westley

Examples of readable in a Sentence

Adjective

The travel guide is very readable.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Each 1080p display also features 1,200-nit brightness for sunlight-readable text and supports touch with gloved or moist fingers. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026

Using X-ray tomography and virtual unrolling techniques, the researchers were able to reconstruct the scrolls and identify readable text at each lead concentration level. — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

My feeling was that a monologue could seem immediate, more enjoyable and readable than a straightforward play with multiple characters, additional stage directions, etc. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026

The campaign centered on the Tabby bag and introduced a collection of readable book charms. — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing readable

• machine-readable

Rhymes for readable

• unreadable

Kids Definition

readable

adjective

read·​able ˈrēd-ə-bəl 

: able to be read easily

readability

ˌrēd-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

readably

-blē 

adverb