1
as in navigable
capable of being traveled on
after the snowstorm ends, the roads might not be passable for the morning ride to school
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in penetrable
capable of being passed into or through
the jungle is not passable without a machete
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3
as in decent
of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards
that's a passable paper
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4
as in satisfactory
of average to below average quality
the actor's Scottish accent is passable at best
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of passable
On Sunday, skies were clearing by noon and roads remained passable, though officials advised caution to those venturing out.
—
Joe Kovac, AJC.com, 18 Jan. 2026
Mockovak was taken aback when his fellow soldiers complained that the French bartenders managed only passable English.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
Still, his faceoff win rate is above 60 percent, and his defensive metrics are passable.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Even White — who has improved his defense to passable status — isn’t always the best pairing with Giddey due to the resulting lack of defensive resistance at the perimeter.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for passable
Joe Kovac, AJC.com, 18 Jan. 2026
Mockovak was taken aback when his fellow soldiers complained that the French bartenders managed only passable English.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
Still, his faceoff win rate is above 60 percent, and his defensive metrics are passable.
—Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Even White — who has improved his defense to passable status — isn’t always the best pairing with Giddey due to the resulting lack of defensive resistance at the perimeter.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for passable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for passable
Adjective
-
Thus, making the Missouri as navigable as the Mississippi and the Ohio seemed sensible.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The Duster was the perfect companion, building confidence behind the wheel, helping turn a harsh landscape into something navigable and genuinely fun.—
Fergus Scholes,
TheWeek,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
By breaking actives down into smaller molecules, the fermentation process makes the ingredient more bioavailable and penetrable.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Bouncing back seven years after the barely penetrable Sunset, the Hungarian director’s new film takes its time to kick in but is a uniquely personal coming-of-age drama.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The Dolphins had a decent, although not necessarily strong 2025 draft class despite the fact all seven draftees got playing time last season, and five made at least one start.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Education isn’t a cure-all; North Korea appears to have decent schools yet is impoverished and totalitarian.—
Nicholas D. Kristof,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Roma wanted a satisfactory replacement signed before letting Tsimikas return.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
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Yeah … very satisfactory to hear that.—
Natalie Morales,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Avoid terra-cotta pots for moisture-loving plants like ferns, Venus flytraps, and peace lilies since the porous clay dries out the soil quickly.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Because the graphene aerogel is thin and porous, there is substantial space for chemical reactions.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Periodically, curb lanes were only partially cleared, and adequate radiuses were mostly ignored.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Unfortunately, neither is adequate.—
David Szondy
February 07,
New Atlas,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
When a team has a losing or mediocre season over several seasons shouldn’t the coach take some of the blame.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Hedda — the bored, mercurial and vicious wife of a mediocre academic — is known as the Hamlet of women’s roles because it’s widely considered the most complex female part ever written for the stage.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Slot bemoaned the fine margins but there have been far too many hard-luck stories.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Chips and dip are fine, but get creative.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Passable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/passable. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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