Definition of appreciablenext

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective appreciable contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of appreciable are palpable, perceptible, ponderable, sensible, and tangible. While all these words mean "apprehensible as real or existent," appreciable applies to what is distinctly discernible by the senses or definitely measurable.

an appreciable increase in income

When is palpable a more appropriate choice than appreciable?

In some situations, the words palpable and appreciable are roughly equivalent. However, palpable applies either to what has physical substance or to what is obvious and unmistakable.

the tension in the air was almost palpable

When could perceptible be used to replace appreciable?

While the synonyms perceptible and appreciable are close in meaning, perceptible applies to what can be discerned by the senses often to a minimal extent.

a perceptible difference in sound to a careful listener

Where would ponderable be a reasonable alternative to appreciable?

The words ponderable and appreciable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ponderable suggests having definitely measurable weight or importance.

exerted a ponderable influence on world events

When can sensible be used instead of appreciable?

The synonyms sensible and appreciable are sometimes interchangeable, but sensible applies to whatever is clearly apprehended through the senses or impresses itself strongly on the mind.

an abrupt, sensible drop in temperature

When might tangible be a better fit than appreciable?

Although the words tangible and appreciable have much in common, tangible suggests what is capable of being handled or grasped both physically and mentally.

no tangible evidence of UFOs

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of appreciable That’s appreciable, and propelling this Winter’s Tale’s legibility is a cast full of undeniably excellent actors. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2026 So for Perseverance, the wheels were redesigned, and there are no signs of appreciable wear and tear, Lee said. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 8 Aug. 2026 No appreciable glycemic improvement was observed in healthy normoglycemic populations, and there was no significant effect on body mass index (BMI). — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 With the exceptions of Stowe and Radcliffe, few women writers receive any appreciable treatment in Fiedler’s book. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for appreciable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appreciable
Adjective
  • The researchers varied how many dots moved together, ranging from 81 percent of the dots coherently moving together, which is trivially easy to determine, down to 3 percent, which is barely distinguishable from noise.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 23 Oct. 2026
  • By combining them in different proportions, the researchers can create 16 distinguishable colours and at least 300 different shades.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • In most Alzheimer’s patients, a noticeable atrophy develops over the course of only a few months of disease progression.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Still, the difference is less noticeable on a smaller screen.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 5 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • Each creation can be styled, scented and personalized with an audible recording.
    — Rich Pope, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Her judgement was met with audible gasps in the ballroom, including a surprised shriek from Stiles, who grimaced.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • And while our skyline is the better for that, there’s no clear direction discernable now.
    — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
  • High-performing offices exceeded their monthly goals, while low-performing offices missed them, with no discernible changes.
    — Maureen Metcalf, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • But the seeming void contains a barely perceptible fog of hydrogen and other neutral atoms.
    — Perri Thaler, Quanta Magazine, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Weaving every movement together are barely perceptible particles that make your ears blink and double-take—bubbles, dolphin gurgles, memory chips fidgeting, sprites hiccuping.
    — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Secret to hydration The researchers found no detectable hydrocarbons on the outer body of the pupae, called the cuticle.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • With that data, the next step was to see how much plastic would be needed for there to be a color change detectable by a satellite, Koestner said.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Appreciable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appreciable. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!