bearable

adjective

bear·​able ˈber-ə-bəl 

: capable of being borne

bearability

ˌber-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

bearably

ˈber-ə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms of bearable

• endurable
• tolerable

Examples of bearable in a Sentence

He's in a great deal of pain, but the medication makes it bearable.

the pain from a sprained ankle is annoying but bearable

Recent Examples on the Web

Emotion is a natural and necessary part of football, but understanding how delicate each of these fixtures may be should help the journey to May become more bearable. —Art De Roché, New York Times, 14 Dec. 2025

While painkillers like ibuprofen are often enough to relieve a headache, prescription medications are sometimes necessary to make head pain more bearable. —Katherine Cobb-Pitstick, The Conversation, 1 Dec. 2025

There’s a bearable level of contrivance in Abby McDonald and Amy Reed’s screenplay, as well as sufficiently appealing leads in Olivia Holt and Connor Swindells. —Dennis Harvey, Variety, 27 Nov. 2025

At just $69 for Black Friday, they’re made to feel snug and flexible enough for all kinds of movement, making long travel days on your feet way more bearable. —Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 25 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1557, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bearable

• arable
• parable
• terrible
• wearable
• repairable
• unbearable

Kids Definition

bearable

adjective

bear·​able ˈbar-ə-bəl 

ˈber-

: possible to bear