1
2
as in penetrable
capable of being passed into or through the jungle is not passable without a machete

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in decent
of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards that's a passable paper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

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 passable The finished products by the one-time waiter at a Steak and Ale restaurant were more than passable, nearly as pretty as the cones prepared by the owner of Wally's Burger Express on Mesa Drive in Northwest Austin. John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025 Low-water crossings are inundated with water and may not be passable. Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 15 July 2025 Instead, work crews will report at 7 a.m. Sunday and work in 12-hour shifts to keep roadways safe and passable. Jolene Almendarez, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 For us, the impassable route proved quite passable and even rustic in a fun way. Maya Silver, Outside Online, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for passable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passable
Adjective
  • Recovery plans to locate and retrieve the hatch are under development, but its exact location and potential impact on the navigable channel remain unknown.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Prosecutors alleged the dock and two boat lifts violated the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, which barred any bridge or dam from being built over some navigable waters.
    Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Bouncing back seven years after the barely penetrable Sunset, the Hungarian director’s new film takes its time to kick in but is a uniquely personal coming-of-age drama.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Mescal’s performance is carefully pitched in its quiet devastation, but Lionel, hidden behind his thick glasses and polite manner, is never quite penetrable.
    Radhika Seth, Vogue, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • The Padres might come to regret trading Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek, but another trade deadline acquisition, Freddy Fermin, has provided a decent upgrade at a position of glaring weakness.
    Dennis Lin, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
  • One is the character of the factory owner, Baek Joo-sang, who has a very dark, hidden side to him, but who is also considered a good boss and decent person by the people around him.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • On a scale of one to five, an average or satisfactory experience is a three.
    Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
  • Of those, six — including five children — are in satisfactory condition.
    NBC News, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Water can stain porous materials like wood, marble, and granite.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The Brick is porous and has to breathe.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Wacha hasn’t received adequate run support this season.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Without the presence of adequate airflow, the dust has no where to go and settles on various surfaces.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Never follow your boyfriend to college, especially a seemingly mediocre college, as Belly does with Jeremiah to the fictional Finch.
    Vogue, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
  • There’s enough blame to fill what’s left of the world’s melting glaciers after this debacle of an opener in which the Dolphins were dominated, 33-8, by a mediocre Colts team and looks further from contention than any time this decade.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • New Jersey's finest, Joe and Melissa Gorga, also showed up and showed out.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The brand’s categories include women’s ready-to-wear, shoes, bags, accessories and fine jewelry at contemporary price points.
    WWD Staff, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Passable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passable. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on passable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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