1
as in navigable
capable of being traveled on
after the snowstorm ends, the roads might not be passable for the morning ride to school
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in satisfactory
of average to below average quality
the actor's Scottish accent is passable at best
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of passable
With no way to contact anyone, no running water or power or passable roads, the neighbors relied on each other since the landslide.
—
Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 19 May 2025
No Straw man: For the majority of these playoffs, interim head coach David Adelman has waved his finger to a slew of different bodies sitting at the end of his bench, as the Nuggets have looked for any passable eighth-man minutes against a Thunder team teeming with fresh legs.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 15 May 2025
Even during the Ice Age, when glaciers covered much of the landscape, Cerdanya was still passable.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 5 June 2025
The action is passable, the mythology is generic, and the post-credits scene is overly optimistic about the prospects for a sequel, but there’s a good-natured sense of wonder that ties it all together.
—Josh Bell, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for passable
Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 19 May 2025
No Straw man: For the majority of these playoffs, interim head coach David Adelman has waved his finger to a slew of different bodies sitting at the end of his bench, as the Nuggets have looked for any passable eighth-man minutes against a Thunder team teeming with fresh legs.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 15 May 2025
Even during the Ice Age, when glaciers covered much of the landscape, Cerdanya was still passable.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 5 June 2025
The action is passable, the mythology is generic, and the post-credits scene is overly optimistic about the prospects for a sequel, but there’s a good-natured sense of wonder that ties it all together.
—Josh Bell, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for passable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passable
Adjective
-
The energy tightrope that helped China through the supply shocks of the beginning of the war in Ukraine and subsequent global inflation appears to no longer be navigable.—
Wesley Alexander Hill,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
When judges become the arbiters of what constitutes a wetland or navigable water, businesses are left guessing how long a permit will hold, or if it’s needed at all.—
John F. McQuillan,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Strong actors also can’t prop up a script built out of barely penetrable mumbo jumbo.—
David Rooney,
The Hollywood Reporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Adjective
-
Building a high-functioning AI agent isn’t cheap: from $5,000 at the low end to upwards of $20,000 just to get something decent off the ground.—
Brando Murphy,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
-
Start by rolling them on a countertop with a decent amount of pressure; doing so helps release the lemon juice from its membranes.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
At highway cruising speed, the SUV is satisfactory.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
16 June 2025
-
The sound from the optional Bose 12-speaker upgrade is satisfactory.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
The roughness of the steel wool will scratch the tile and not only will you be left with unsightly marks that more than likely cannot be removed, the tile will now be porous.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 June 2025
-
West Ham were porous defensively before Potter’s arrival in January.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
Having witnessed her own mother’s struggle to access adequate care, Lesly believes that reshaping healthcare to be more equitable will not only meet societal needs but also provide new generations of healthcare professionals with fulfilling roles that endure.—
Glenn Llopis,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
-
Those living in older apartments lack shelter Around half of the nighttime residents at the train station are foreign workers, who frequently live in older apartment buildings that are often not equipped with adequate shelters.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Harrison, the key player for the Red Sox insofar as immediate return, has been a mediocre (4.48 ERA in 35 starts) mid-rotation starter for the Giants.—
Bill Madden,
New York Daily News,
21 June 2025
-
While the pressure will be on for Switzerland to improve their mediocre tournament record, there is only one way to make diamonds (hint: starts with p and ends in ressure).—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
Adjective
-
That’s all fine and good, suggesting several key improvements to the series’ comeback edition last year, some of them addressing pretty common complaints.—
Jason Kirk,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
-
All accommodations come with thoughtful touches like elevated mini-bar fare, Bellino fine linens, and plush, jewel-toned furniture.—
Cu Fleshman,
Travel + Leisure,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Passable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passable. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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