The fact that educated Americans in general no longer share understandable background knowledge is a chief cause of their inability to communicate effectively.
Source: tatoeba (19002)
Understandable
Synonyms for "understandable" (88 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (18)
Adjective(9 words)
intelligibleaccessible energy storageapprehensibleclearclear absenceclear directionclear educational valueclear errorclear instructions
Noun(5 words)
clear definitionclear design systemclear englishclear explanationclear online community guidelines
Strong matches (26)
Noun(3 words)
clear scientific representationclear teachingeasily accessible
Adjective(9 words)
clear speakingclear watersclear waycomprehensibledecipherabledecipherable designdefensibleeasy-to-understandexplainable
clear-cutcognizablecoherentcomprehensibleconceivablediscerniblediscoverabledistinctdistinguishableeasily understoodeasy to understandelementaryevidentexoteric
Related words (44)
explicitfathomablegraspableintelligibleknowablelaylucidluminousnaturalpenetrableperceptibleplainplumbablepopularprehensiblereadablerecognizablescrutableseizableself-explanatory
Show 5 more words
Adjective(13 words)
graspableinterpretablejustifiablelucidnontechnical languageperceivableplain clothingplausibleprocessablereadable interfacereadable passagesreadable scriptreadable tag
Noun(6 words)
most readablenontechnical discourseobservably clearplain designsreading skilltext quality
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: intelligible, accessible energy storage, appreciable, apprehensible, apprehensible.
- Sentence evidence is available for understandable, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "understandable".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "understandable"
Keep "understandable" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "understandable" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "understandable", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "understandable" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
3 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
5 entriesaccessible materialclear expressioncoherent argumentintelligible datareadable text
Inflections
2 entriesmore understandablemost understandable
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
2 entriesSample sentences
11 total sentences available.
Our smile, which is understandable in the context of Japanese culture, sometimes causes a lot of confusion and is notorious among foreign people as a mysterious smile.
Source: tatoeba (281798)
His anger is understandable.
Source: tatoeba (285212)
She failed the exam, which was understandable.
Source: tatoeba (314492)
Showing 4 of 11 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "understandable"?
Closest matches include intelligible, accessible energy storage, appreciable, apprehensible, apprehensible.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "understandable"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.