Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective perceptible contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of perceptible are appreciable, palpable, ponderable, sensible, and tangible. While all these words mean "apprehensible as real or existent," perceptible applies to what can be discerned by the senses often to a minimal extent.

a perceptible difference in sound to a careful listener

In what contexts can appreciable take the place of perceptible?

The words appreciable and perceptible are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, appreciable applies to what is distinctly discernible by the senses or definitely measurable.

an appreciable increase in income

When can palpable be used instead of perceptible?

While in some cases nearly identical to perceptible, palpable applies either to what has physical substance or to what is obvious and unmistakable.

the tension in the air was almost palpable

When is ponderable a more appropriate choice than perceptible?

The meanings of ponderable and perceptible largely overlap; however, ponderable suggests having definitely measurable weight or importance.

exerted a ponderable influence on world events

Where would sensible be a reasonable alternative to perceptible?

In some situations, the words sensible and perceptible are roughly equivalent. However, 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 perceptible?

Although the words tangible and perceptible 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 perceptible The assault could well result in a perceptible slowing of progress in the fight against cancer. Rachana Pradhan, CNN Money, 8 July 2025 If nothing else, the [faintly] perceptible downturn in flight from the bundle suggests that an inviolate core of some 30 million to 35 million sports enthusiasts may remain locked into the bundle when the last of the general-interest crowd has ditched pay-TV for the sprawling glut of streaming. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 June 2025 The caffeine buzz off a Gorgie drink is gentle but perceptible, and Cordeiro Grant found it through trial and error. Byallie Garfinkle, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2025 The more perceptible the warming, the greater the effect. R. Alexander Bentley, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perceptible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perceptible
Adjective
  • The 300-second exposure shows the wandering solar system body as a minute dot, barely distinguishable among the stellar giants populating the distant starfield beyond.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2025
  • His distinguishable look, punctuated by a large black beard, became iconic.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • If the sky becomes menacing and thunder becomes audible, seek out a safe place to seek shelter.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Festival audiences responded with emotional intensity, including visible tears and audible gasps during the screening.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • After a noticeable drop in school attendance due to SEPTA cuts in the first week of the new school year, the city directed a portion of its $135 million transit subsidy to restore bus and trolley service on routes that are heavily used by students.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The ears of a young ram are more noticeable than those of an old ram, whose ears are largely concealed by the massive horns.
    Tim Kelly, Outdoor Life, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • One discernible trend in the French stats was the concentration of sales among the biggest distributors, especially in the fiction category.
    Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Though they were painted over once, and restored by an art conservationist, the diamond criss-cross pattern of Converse soles is still discernable.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.
    CA Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025
  • According to the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, approximately two of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detectable level of hearing loss in one or both ears.
    Jennifer E. Mabry, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Though oxygen is the by-product of making plant matter from CO2 through photosynthesis, to build oxygen up to appreciable levels, vast seas of this organic carbon have to be buried in the crust as fossil fuels.
    Peter Brannen, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025
  • There isn’t an appreciable difference between the two.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Perceptible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perceptible. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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