describable

/dɪˈskraɪbəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈskraɪbəbl/ (ame, ipa)

describable — adjective

  • describablepositive
  • more describablecomparative
  • most describablesuperlative

1. able to be put into words so that other people understand what something is like

1.形容詞C1
釋義

able to be put into words so that other people understand what something is like — used when a sight, feeling, or experience is clear enough for language to capture it.

例句

The pain in Daichi's shoulder was sharp but easily describable to his doctor.

predicative use: be + describable + to [person]

Esme found the colour of the morning sea barely describable in ordinary English.

barely / hardly + describable — degree modifiers

同義詞
  • expressible

    more formal; used of feelings or ideas rather than physical things

  • definable

    focuses on giving a precise meaning, not a general description

  • characterizable

    technical / academic register; identifying typical features

反義詞

用法筆記

Far more often appears in negated or limited forms — 'barely / hardly / not easily describable' — than as a plain positive adjective. The bare form 'is describable' on its own sounds stilted to most readers; pair it with a degree adverb or a complement (in words / in detail / to someone).

常見錯誤

❌The sunset was very describable.
✅The sunset was barely describable.
💡'describable' is almost always used with limiting adverbs (barely, hardly, not easily); 'very describable' sounds unnatural.
❌a describable man' (attributive, no context).
✅a man whose accent was easily describable as Northern.
💡readers expect a complement explaining HOW or AS WHAT something can be described.