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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sensible contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sensible are appreciable, palpable, perceptible, ponderable, and tangible. While all these words mean "apprehensible as real or existent," sensible applies to whatever is clearly apprehended through the senses or impresses itself strongly on the mind.

an abrupt, sensible drop in temperature

In what contexts can appreciable take the place of sensible?

The words appreciable and sensible can be used in similar contexts, but 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 sensible?

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

the tension in the air was almost palpable

When might perceptible be a better fit than sensible?

The meanings of perceptible and sensible largely overlap; however, perceptible applies to what can be discerned by the senses often to a minimal extent.

a perceptible difference in sound to a careful listener

When could ponderable be used to replace sensible?

Although the words ponderable and sensible have much in common, ponderable suggests having definitely measurable weight or importance.

exerted a ponderable influence on world events

Where would tangible be a reasonable alternative to sensible?

The synonyms tangible and sensible are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 sensible This, and its lower price, make the 285K sensible for strenuous productivity use, with some light gaming on the side. PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2025 Far from being doomed by his polarizing legacy, Republicans are poised to emerge as the party of the sensible center, representing the non-polarized public, while Democrats, mired in anti-Trump fervor, risk alienating the masses with diminished appeal. Nafees Alam, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025 As the bidding process for the service plaza contracts begins anew, the local company is seeking the texts of MTN and others, including those of another sensible-shoes gal named Hayes Morrison. Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025 Trump then offered a non-sensible explanation for commuting fraudster George Santos’ prison sentence. William Vaillancourt, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sensible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sensible
Adjective
  • Not even a meta ending that pushes that idea to its logical breaking point can sour you on it.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
  • To be fair, public entities have been stretching public records trade secret exceptions to logical extremes long before college athletes started getting paid—and these carve-outs are often intended to be permissive.
    Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Relative to the starting pitcher market, his contract -- he is owed $28 million combined over the next two seasons with a club option for 2028 -- is reasonable.
    Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • The pop punk icon confirmed a slate of upcoming shows for next year on Monday, along with efforts to ensure tickets get in actual fans’ hands for a reasonable price, rather than to resellers who will hawk them at major markups to those who missed out during the initial on-sale.
    Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Similarly, the depth of the pile doesn’t rebound if furniture is moved, which can be noticeable for a period of time.
    Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Just as Mamdani aims to improve the lives of young people more broadly, those working under him could see a noticeable shift in how the workplace is run.
    Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Sands said that the school was made aware of the form collecting anonymous pledges.
    Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 12 Nov. 2025
  • The act is aware of the constant online comparisons between it and KATSEYE but isn’t phased by them.
    Brooke Morrison, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The ledger is the foundation of reasoned conclusion.
    Big Think, Big Think, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The differences between any given Grokipedia and Wikipedia entry are in some sense hard to debate because there is no shared ground upon which to have a reasoned disagreement; to gravitate toward Grokipedia is to leave the world of evidence for that of belief.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • There seemed to be a rational acceptance of the outcome.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Therefore, the present work supports the belief that rational materials design at both the macro and atomic levels can solve long-standing challenges, according to a press release.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The structure of Pittsburgh’s tax, which involves applying a different rate to nonresidents, is distinguishable from many other such taxes, which typically apply the same rate to visiting players.
    Robert Raiola, Sportico.com, 27 Sep. 2025
  • 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
Adjective
  • Even calling it a magazine is a conscious way of trying to distinguish the work producers are putting months and months of effort into recording and writing from what podcasting has become.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • And while an uncertain economy and ever-skyrocketing cost of living are making people more price-conscious and wary, Razavi explained that this also opens up the possibilities for growth as consumers are now more open to other shopping avenues.
    Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sensible. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

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