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palpable
adjective
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Feel Out the Definition of Palpable
If you find it fascinating how English speakers push words with concrete meanings into figurative use, we feel you. By which we mean we understand you, of course, not that we are patting your head or poking you in the shoulder. Palpable, which has since the 14th century described things that can be literally felt through the skin (such as a person’s pulse), has undergone an expansion similar to that of feel over the centuries, and is now more frequently used to describe things that cannot be touched but are still so easy to perceive that it is as though they could be—such as "a palpable tension in the air."
Synonyms
perceptible, sensible, palpable, tangible, appreciable, ponderable mean apprehensible as real or existent.
perceptible applies to what can be discerned by the senses often to a minimal extent.
sensible applies to whatever is clearly apprehended through the senses or impresses itself strongly on the mind.
palpable applies either to what has physical substance or to what is obvious and unmistakable.
tangible suggests what is capable of being handled or grasped both physically and mentally.
appreciable applies to what is distinctly discernible by the senses or definitely measurable.
ponderable suggests having definitely measurable weight or importance.
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Cite this Entry
“Palpable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palpable. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
palpable
adjectiveMedical Definition
palpable
adjectiveMore from Merriam-Webster on palpable
Nglish: Translation of palpable for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of palpable for Arabic Speakers
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