usable

adjective

us·​able ˈyü-zə-bəl 

variants or less commonly useable

1

: capable of being used

2

: convenient and practicable for use

usableness

ˈyü-zə-bəl-nəs 

noun

usably

ˈyü-zə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms of usable

• useful
• available

Examples of usable in a Sentence

Is any of this junk usable?

although the spade is usable as a snow shovel, it doesn't do a very good job

Recent Examples on the Web

Recording a good voiceover can mean finding a narrator, booking studio time, or spending hours trying to get a usable take yourself. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 20 Sep. 2026

Logistics is key Getting more aircraft out of maintenance therefore gives commanders a larger usable force without actually buying any additional B-52s. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026

Orchids lack the enzymes and microbes to break down coffee grounds into usable nutrients. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2026

But recent wars have exposed the gap between nominal power and usable military capability. — Nadia Schadlow, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for usable

• diffusible
• excusable
• infusible
• reusable
• unusable
• fusible
• inexcusable

Kids Definition

usable

adjective

us·​able

ˈyü-zə-bəl

: suitable or fit for use

usable waste