mutable

adjective

mu·​ta·​ble ˈmyü-tə-bəl 

1

: prone to change : inconstant

mutable opinions

2

a

: capable of change or of being changed

mutable laws

b

: capable of or liable to mutation

mutable vowels

a mutable gene

mutability

ˌmyü-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

mutably

ˈmyü-tə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms

• volatile
• unpredictable
• changeful
• variable

Examples of mutable in a Sentence

the government's mutable economic policies

a politician with very mutable positions on all the issues

Recent Examples on the Web

Continue with your inner work, as your sense of security and stability fluctuates when loving Venus enters mutable Gemini on July 4. —Liz Simmons, StyleCaster, 24 June 2025

The exhibit is smartly centered on the endless interpretations of Spider-Man the Character who, despite being 64 years old, yet still a teenage spider, has remained remarkably mutable. —Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025

My favorite bits with him are his office decorations, frankly—the rabbit/duck optical illusion statue, showing his mutable nature, and the iceberg poster, hinting at hidden depths. —Ars Technica, 25 Mar. 2025

Unlike centralized clouds, where data shards are mutable, decentralized nodes make shards immutable and cryptographically secured, preventing unauthorized reconstruction. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin mutabilis, from mutare to change; akin to Old English mīthan to conceal, Sanskrit mināti he exchanges, deceives

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mutable

• computable
• disputable
• immutable
• imputable
• inscrutable
• unsuitable
• executable
• indisputable
• irrefutable
• substitutable
• suitable

Kids Definition

mutable

adjective

mu·​ta·​ble ˈmyüt-ə-bəl 

1

: likely to change often : inconstant

2

a

: capable of change

b

: able or likely to mutate

mutability

ˌmyüt-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

Medical Definition

mutable

adjective

mu·​ta·​ble ˈmyüt-ə-bəl 

1

: capable of change or of being changed in form, quality, or nature

2

: capable of or liable to mutation