drinkable

IPA/ˈdrɪŋkəbl/
KK[drˈɪnkəbəl]IPA/ˈdrɪŋkəbl/

drinkable — adjective

  • drinkablepositive
  • more drinkablecomparative
  • most drinkablesuperlative

1. Describes water or another liquid that is in a clean enough condition and contai

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

Describes water or another liquid that is in a clean enough condition and contains no harmful substances, so that people can drink it without getting sick.

Example

After the earthquake, the Red Cross delivered tablets to make the flood water drinkable.

make + object + drinkable

Niran boiled the well water to make it drinkable before filling his bottle.

Common collocations
  • make water drinkable
  • become drinkable
  • remain drinkable
  • drinkable water
  • drinkable liquid
Synonyms
  • potable

    more formal and technical; used mainly in written notices, scientific reports, and official safety labels

  • safe

    broader in meaning; 'safe' can refer to food, medicine, or activities, not only liquids

Antonyms
  • undrinkable

    direct opposite — describes water that is not safe or not possible to drink

  • contaminated

    stronger; implies the water contains poison, bacteria, or waste

Grammar Patterns

be/become + drinkable

make + object + drinkable

Usage Note

Frequently used with 'make' or 'become' when describing a process of purification. The attributive form ('drinkable water') is common in labelling and official contexts.

Common Mistakes

This water is potable so we can drink it.
This water is drinkable so we can drink it.
'potable' is a formal or technical term; 'drinkable' is the everyday word most learners need.
The water is clean and safe to drinkable.
The water is clean and safe to drink.
'drinkable' is an adjective; do not add 'to' before it after 'safe'.

2. Having a flavour that people enjoy, so they want to keep drinking it rather than

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

Having a flavour that people enjoy, so they want to keep drinking it rather than drinking it only because they have to.

Example

Jude made lemonade that was so drinkable the children finished it in ten minutes.

so drinkable + that + result clause

This cheap wine is surprisingly drinkable — I expected it to taste much worse.

surprisingly drinkable (adverb of surprise)

Common collocations
  • surprisingly drinkable
  • quite drinkable
  • barely drinkable
  • very drinkable
  • not very drinkable
Synonyms
  • palatable

    more formal; often used for food as well as drink, and also in figurative senses ('a palatable compromise')

  • tasty

    stronger positive evaluation; less hedged than 'drinkable'

  • nice

    informal and very common; broader — can describe any sensory experience

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be + (adverb) + drinkable

find + object + drinkable

Usage Note

Common in negative or hedging contexts ('barely drinkable', 'not very drinkable') to express mild disappointment. 'Barely drinkable' is a set phrase for something that is just acceptable in taste.

Common Mistakes

The water is drinkable, so I love drinking it.
The water tastes great, so I love drinking it.
'drinkable' in sense 2 means acceptable or enjoyable, but for strong enthusiasm use 'delicious' or 'great-tasting'.

drinkable — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Three adjectives describe whether a liquid is fit to consume, but they differ in register and focus. 'Potable' (from Latin potare 'to drink') is the most formal; it appears on official water-safety notices, camping-equipment labels, and in technical reports — you will rarely hear it in casual conversation. 'Drinkable' is the everyday, all-purpose word: it covers both basic safety ('The tap water is drinkable') and acceptable taste ('The wine was barely drinkable'), relying on context for disambiguation. 'Palatable' shifts the emphasis from safety to flavour — a liquid that is palatable is pleasant enough to drink, but the word is more formal than 'drinkable' and is also used figuratively ('a palatable tax increase'). For example, mountain stream water may be drinkable (safe) without being particularly palatable (tasty).

potabledrinkable ↗palatable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • drinkable water
  • drinkable liquid
  • drinkable yogurt

Adverbs

  • perfectly drinkable
  • barely drinkable
  • safely drinkable

Phrases

  • make something drinkable
  • become drinkable
  • remain drinkable

Etymology

GermanicOld EnglishEnglishLatin

Formed from the verb 'drink' (from Old English drincan, of Germanic origin) plus the suffix '-able' (from Latin -abilis, meaning 'capable of being'). First recorded in English in the early 1600s. The suffix '-able' is highly productive, so the word's meaning is transparent: 'able to be drunk'.