cleanable

cleanable — adjective

  • cleanablepositive
  • more cleanablecomparative
  • most cleanablesuperlative

1. able to be washed or wiped so that dirt and marks can be removed

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

able to be washed or wiped so that dirt and marks can be removed

Example

Zayd chose a cleanable leather sofa because his toddler often spilled juice on the cushions.

attributive use with concrete noun

The kitchen tiles are easily cleanable with warm water and a soft cloth.

collocation: easily cleanable

Common collocations
  • easily cleanable
  • machine cleanable
  • cleanable surface
  • cleanable fabric
  • cleanable upholstery
Synonyms
  • washable

    specifically about washing with water; 'cleanable' is broader (wiping, scrubbing, vacuuming all count)

  • wipeable

    narrower — only surfaces you wipe with a cloth, e.g. tablecloths, screens

Antonyms
  • stain-resistant

    not quite an opposite — describes resistance to dirt rather than ease of removal once dirty

  • dry-clean only

    describes items that cannot be cleaned with standard water-based methods

Grammar Patterns

easily cleanable

machine cleanable

Usage Note

Frequently modified by adverbs like 'easily', 'machine', or 'fully' that signal how readily the surface comes clean. Usually describes physical items (furniture, fabric, surfaces) rather than people or abstract things.

Common Mistakes

The mistake is cleanable.
The mistake can be fixed.
'cleanable' applies to physical dirt or marks on a surface, not to errors or problems.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These three adjectives all describe how easily dirt can be removed from something, but they differ in scope. 'Cleanable' is the broadest term — it covers any method of removing dirt, whether by wiping, washing, vacuuming, or brushing, and is commonly used for furniture, upholstery, and surfaces. 'Washable' is narrower and specifies cleaning with water, often in a machine; a 'machine-washable' shirt goes through the laundry, while a 'cleanable' shirt might just need a damp cloth. 'Wipeable' is the most restricted — it only covers surfaces you clean with a single wipe of a cloth, such as tablecloths, screens, or kitchen counters. So a leather sofa is cleanable and wipeable but not washable; a cotton T-shirt is cleanable and washable but not really wipeable.

cleanable ↗washable ↗wipeable

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • machine cleanable
  • easily cleanable

Prepositions

  • with (a cloth/water/detergent)

Etymology

Old EnglishFrenchLatinEnglish

Formed in English by adding the suffix '-able' (meaning 'capable of being') to the verb 'clean'. The verb 'clean' comes from Old English 'clǣne', meaning pure or unsoiled. The '-able' suffix entered English through French from Latin '-abilis', and English speakers freely apply it to verbs to form adjectives that mean 'capable of undergoing the action of the verb' — so 'cleanable' simply means 'capable of being cleaned'.