viable

/ˈvaɪəbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈvaɪəbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈvī-ə-bəl/ (ame, mw)

viable — adjective

  • viablepositive
  • more viablecomparative
  • most viablesuperlative

1. describing a plan, project, or business that is practical and realistic enough t

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a plan, project, or business that is practical and realistic enough to achieve its goals and keep succeeding over time.

例句

The board decided the new recycling plant was not economically viable and cancelled the project.

collocation: economically viable

Iris considered several business options before picking the most viable one.

同義詞
  • feasible

    narrower focus on technical possibility; a plan can be feasible (doable) without being viable (able to last)

  • workable

    more informal; suggests a solution that is good enough to function, often with a pragmatic tone

  • practical

    broader; emphasizes real-world suitability rather than the capacity to keep succeeding

反義詞
  • unworkable

    the opposite of a workable or practical plan

  • unrealistic

    suggests a plan that has no chance in practice, without the economic or sustainability nuance

文法句型

[be] + viable

viable + noun

viable + to-infinitive

用法筆記

Often paired with adverbs such as economically, commercially, financially, or politically to specify the area in which something is able to succeed.

常見錯誤

❌This is a possible plan' (when you mean it can work).
✅This is a viable plan.
💡'possible' only means the plan can exist; 'viable' means it has a realistic chance of succeeding.
❌We need a practical solution' (when emphasizing long-term success).
✅We need a viable solution.
💡'practical' focuses on being sensible and realistic in everyday terms, whereas 'viable' also implies the solution can survive and last.

2. describing a living thing such as a cell, seed, embryo, or organism that is able

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describing a living thing such as a cell, seed, embryo, or organism that is able to stay alive and develop in the normal way.

例句

The doctor told Emma that the pregnancy was viable and the baby was growing well.

viable pregnancy — medical collocation

Farmers tested whether the seeds were still viable after two years in storage.

同義詞
  • alive

    broader; 'alive' simply means not dead, while 'viable' adds the sense of being able to grow and develop

  • fertile

    different meaning; 'fertile' describes the ability to reproduce, not the ability to survive and grow

  • healthy

    overlaps but is less precise; 'healthy' describes good condition overall, not specifically the capacity to develop independently

反義詞
  • nonviable

    the standard opposite in medical and biology contexts

  • dead

    less precise; 'dead' means no life at all, whereas 'nonviable' may describe something that is alive but unable to develop

文法句型

[be] + viable

viable + noun

用法筆記

Common in medical and biology writing. Not usually used in the comparative form (more viable / most viable) in formal scientific literature, though the comparative does appear in informal or popular writing.

常見錯誤

❌The seeds are livable
✅The seeds are viable.
💡'livable' describes a place where people can live comfortably, not a biological item's ability to survive.
❌The cells are still alive' (when you mean they can grow).
✅The cells are still viable.
💡'alive' simply means not dead; 'viable' implies the capacity to grow and develop further.