viable

adjective vi·a·ble \ ˈvī-ə-bəl \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of viable

1 a : capable of living

a viable skin graft

viable offspring

b of a fetus : having attained such form and development of organs as to be normally capable of surviving outside the uterus

a 26-week old viable fetus

c : capable of growing or developing

viable seeds

viable eggs

2 a : capable of working, functioning, or developing adequately

viable alternatives

b : capable of existence and development as an independent unit

The colony is now a viable state.

c (1) : having a reasonable chance of succeeding

a viable candidate

(2) : financially sustainable

a viable enterprise

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viability

play \ˌvī-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

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viably

play \ˈvī-ə-blē\ adverb

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Examples of viable in a Sentence

The departure point for a viable peace deal—either with Syria or the Palestinians—must not be based purely on what the political traffic in Israel will bear, but on the requirements of all sides. —Aaron David Miller, Newsweek, 12 Jan. 2009
As gene therapy begins to enjoy some preliminary successes, scientists at the World Anti-Doping Agency, which oversees drug testing for the Olympics, have started to worry that dopers might now see abuse of gene therapy in sport as a viable option, though the practice was banned by WADA in 2003. —Patrick Barry, Science News, 2 Aug. 2008
Under today's forest management practices, few trees die natural deaths and fewer still attain the girth of the old-growth trees that supported the ivory-bill. The sad fact is that there is really no place in the United States today where a viable population of ivory-bills could persist even if captive reared birds were on hand to stock a release program. —John Terborgh, New York Review of Books, 26 Apr. 2007
To ponder [John] Updike's work in now old-fashioned sociopolitical terms, it might be said that he examines our struggle to maintain a viable center for our inner life while enduring the most revolutionary force in history—American capitalism. —Robert Stone, New York Times Book Review, 18 June 2006
At stake is the survival of our civilization and the habitability of the Earth. Or, as one eminent scientist put it, the pending question is whether the combination of an opposable thumb and a neocortex is a viable combination on this planet. —Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, 2006
When a patient agrees to forego a bed at the Portland VA—so far 75% of viable candidates have agreed to do so—a small "strike force" swings into action. The patient is sent home, typically with various medicines, oxygen tanks, and sometimes, a mobile X-ray machine. A nurse visits every day to perform tests, provide IV infusions and monitor medications. As a backup, a physician is on 24-hour standby for emergencies. —Gautam Naik, Wall Street Journal, 19 Apr. 2006
Another truth is that corks expire with age. A few wineries recognize that fact and recork their library wines every 25 years or so, but that's not a viable process for most collectors. —James Laube, Wine Spectator, 31 Mar. 2005
a viable solution to the problem
He could not suggest a viable alternative.
Is she a viable candidate?

Recent Examples of viable from the Web

Although overreacting to a series-opening loss would be silly for Cleveland, failing to react is hardly a viable option.

— ben golliver, SI.com, "Pacers Snap LeBron’s First-Round Winning Streak as Cavs Open With a Dud," 15 Apr. 2018
Since then, the horse racing community has been trying to find a way to legalize historical horse racing in Idaho, saying its revenue is needed to make live racing viable.

— cynthia sewell, idahostatesman, "This month will decide if Idahoans vote on Medicaid, gambling machines, abortions | Idaho Statesman," 11 Apr. 2018
Shore fishing and crabbing was viable and even very good at times.

— sacbee, "Fishing line: Lake Tahoe is full, the Delta is dirty and several rivers close | The Sacramento Bee," 9 Apr. 2018
Incoming Covington Catholic freshman Jake Walter isn't a viable option in the near future, so Xavier needs to fortify its frontcourt.

— patrick brennan, Cincinnati.com, "Xavier basketball grad transfer tracker: Travis Steele's plan for filling out the 2018-19 roster," 5 Apr. 2018
With the exception of Pandora Media Inc., Spotify is essentially alone in needing to make its model commercially viable.

— anne steele, WSJ, "Spotify’s Splashy Debut Pressures Banks," 3 Apr. 2018
Nearly all of them assumed that negative emissions technology would be viable and widely used, particularly BECCS.

— chelsea harvey, Scientific American, "Tree Farms Will Not Save Us from Global Warming," 13 Mar. 2018
Helping matters, ABC Studios negotiated to reduce the license fee, making SHIELD more financially viable.

— sydney bucksbaum, The Hollywood Reporter, "How 'Agents of SHIELD' Made It to 100 Episodes," 8 Mar. 2018
But Drag Race is about more than just the success of its parts: Drag is now a thriving industry that’s made the art form a viable and often lucrative career for its former contestants and beyond.

— brennan carley, GQ, "Make Way for the Queens: A Roundtable on the Future of Drag," 25 Jan. 2018

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