readable

1 of 2

adjective

read·​able ˈrē-də-bəl How to pronounce readable (audio)
Synonyms of readablenext
: able to be read easily: such as
a
: legible
b
: interesting to read
a highly readable novel
readability
ˌrē-də-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce readable (audio)
noun
readableness
ˈrē-də-bəl-nəs How to pronounce readable (audio)
noun
readably
ˈrē-də-blē How to pronounce readable (audio)
adverb

readability

2 of 2

noun

read·​abil·​i·​ty ˌrē-də-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce readability (audio)
: the quality or state of being readable
traces our history with skill and readability—R. L. Duffus
the physical readability of the book is poor because of its heavy, close typography—Robert Halsband
testing the readability of prose by measuring the length of sentences—F. L. Mott
improvement in the readability of newspaper writing—Bruce Westley

Examples of readable in a Sentence

Adjective The travel guide is very readable.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
In Kitchen Confidential, the ludicrously readable memoir and culinary tell-all that first made Anthony Bourdain a household name, the period over which the new biopic Tony takes place is covered in just a few pages. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026 As a practical matter, Cloudflare’s new identity service provides any user with a bot-readable identity in the form of a permanent web address. — Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026 The work would have been slow going and highly readable—white wool on green backing, red thread stitched to white, yellow on red, mauve on pink, blue on purple, pink on black. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026 If there are readable marks on them identifying the maker and production date, do some research to find out what the item’s value may be. — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for readable

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of readable was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing readable

Rhymes for readable

See All Rhymes for readable

Browse Nearby Words

readability
readable
readableness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Readable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/readable. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on readable

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for readable

Nglish: Translation of readable for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All