reconcilable

IPA/ˌrekənˈsaɪləbl/
IPA/ˌrekənˈsaɪləbl/

reconcilable — adjective

  • reconcilablepositive
  • more reconcilablecomparative
  • most reconcilablesuperlative

1. able to coexist with another idea, opinion, or belief without creating a contrad

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

able to coexist with another idea, opinion, or belief without creating a contradiction or conflict

Example

Yara's progressive views on education are perfectly reconcilable with her respect for traditional teaching methods.

reconcilable with [noun phrase] — comparing ideals and methods

The company's goal of increasing profits is reconcilable with its commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

Common collocations
  • reconcilable with
  • perfectly reconcilable
  • hardly reconcilable
  • not easily reconcilable
Synonyms
  • compatible

    broader term — can describe people, machines, substances

  • consistent

    focuses on logical agreement without contradiction

  • harmonious

    suggests the combination works well together, not just coexists

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

reconcilable with [noun phrase]

Usage Note

Always paired with the preposition 'with' to introduce the second element being compared. This sense is most common in academic, philosophical, or professional discourse where abstract ideas or principles are weighed against each other.

Common Mistakes

His personal beliefs are reconcilable to his professional duties.
His personal beliefs are reconcilable with his professional duties.
The correct preposition is 'with', not 'to'.
The two colours are reconcilable.
The two colours are compatible.
'Reconcilable' is used for ideas, opinions, and abstract positions, not for physical objects or aesthetic qualities.

2. able to be settled when opposing sides reach an agreement that both accept

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

able to be settled when opposing sides reach an agreement that both accept

Example

After mediation, the board members discovered that their budget differences were reconcilable after all.

differences + reconcilable — used in context of group resolution

The two sides agreed that the dispute over land rights was reconcilable through further negotiation.

Common collocations
  • reconcilable differences
  • easily reconcilable
  • hardly reconcilable
  • mutually reconcilable
Synonyms
  • resolvable

    direct synonym — can be sorted out

  • solvable

    focuses on finding an answer or solution

  • negotiable

    suggests compromise through discussion

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

[differences/disagreements] + be + reconcilable

Usage Note

Common in diplomatic, legal, and workplace contexts where opposing parties negotiate. Frequently appears in the negative form ('irreconcilable differences') as a fixed phrase in divorce proceedings and partnership dissolutions.

Common Mistakes

The broken vase is reconcilable.
The broken vase can be repaired.
'Reconcilable' applies to disagreements, conflicts, and opposing positions between people or groups, not to physical damage.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe things that go well together, but they differ in scope and context. 'Compatible' is the broadest term — it can apply to people who get along, software that runs on a system, or ideas that coexist without conflict. 'Consistent' is narrower: it focuses on logical agreement within a single framework ('His actions are consistent with his words'). 'Harmonious' adds a positive aesthetic or emotional quality — things that are harmonious not only coexist but blend pleasingly. 'Congruent' is the most technical and formal, used mainly in mathematics, geometry, and formal logic for things that exactly correspond. For abstract ideas and beliefs, 'reconcilable' is the most precise option because it implies the ideas were initially in tension or opposition and have been found able to coexist nonetheless — a nuance the other words lack. For example, you might say 'His conservative upbringing and his liberal political views are reconcilable, though they seem contradictory at first glance.'

compatible ↗consistent ↗harmonious ↗congruent ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • reconcilable differences
  • perfectly reconcilable with
  • hardly reconcilable with

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'reconciliare' — combining 're-' (again) with 'conciliare' (to bring together, to win over). The word passed through French before entering English in the 16th century. The suffix '-able' (meaning 'capable of being') was added to form the adjective, giving the sense 'capable of being brought back together.' The legal sense 'irreconcilable differences' became a common fixed phrase in divorce proceedings from the mid-20th century onward.