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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sensible contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sensible are appreciable, palpable, perceptible, ponderable, and tangible. While all these words mean "apprehensible as real or existent," sensible applies to whatever is clearly apprehended through the senses or impresses itself strongly on the mind.

an abrupt, sensible drop in temperature

In what contexts can appreciable take the place of sensible?

The words appreciable and sensible can be used in similar contexts, but appreciable applies to what is distinctly discernible by the senses or definitely measurable.

an appreciable increase in income

When is palpable a more appropriate choice than sensible?

While in some cases nearly identical to sensible, palpable applies either to what has physical substance or to what is obvious and unmistakable.

the tension in the air was almost palpable

When might perceptible be a better fit than sensible?

The meanings of perceptible and sensible largely overlap; however, perceptible applies to what can be discerned by the senses often to a minimal extent.

a perceptible difference in sound to a careful listener

When could ponderable be used to replace sensible?

Although the words ponderable and sensible have much in common, ponderable suggests having definitely measurable weight or importance.

exerted a ponderable influence on world events

Where would tangible be a reasonable alternative to sensible?

The synonyms tangible and sensible are sometimes interchangeable, but tangible suggests what is capable of being handled or grasped both physically and mentally.

no tangible evidence of UFOs

Examples of sensible in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web Harris has promised to build on the current improvements with a balanced approach of strong border security and sensible immigration policies. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Stephen Henriques, TIME, 15 Oct. 2024 Couldn’t the writers have come up with a more sensible way to have the zombies get in? Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 These light-touch measures would be sensible even if AGI weren’t a possibility, but the prospect of AGI heightens their importance. Daniel Colson, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024 Her supporters say her office pushed low-level offenders into diversion, yes, but struck sensible plea deals with others and aggressively prosecuted repeat and violent offenders. Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sensible 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sensible
Adjective
  • Lots of people know how the beginning of the AI revolution led to replacing the idea of a CPU with a GPU: a more sophisticated and specialized type of logical processor that lent itself to machine learning and related work.
    John Werner, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
  • And after a quarter century in the National Guard, teaching, and coaching, why shouldn't the next logical step be Congress?
    Keenan Robbins, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • So, the authors should consider plug-in hybrids as a reasonable interim step, while chargers move consumers to adapt to all-electric vehicles when more charging alternatives are available.
    Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
  • The legal standard is something called reasonable certainty of no harm.
    Jonquilyn Hill, Vox, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Whenever possible, athletic trainers should be on the sidelines to support student-athletes, Master said, and athletes should be aware of concussion symptoms in themselves and their teammates and seek care right away.
    Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
  • Be aware of how media habits may be affecting your sleep or mood.
    Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • With protests outside the courthouse audible inside the courtroom, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Maxwell Wiley instructed the jury to not listen to the words being yelled.
    Eric Levenson, CNN, 1 Nov. 2024
  • Such passengers' boarding passes will trigger an audible sound and display a message to gate agents.
    Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • But the curve also has a second family of rational points.
    Joseph Howlett, Quanta Magazine, 11 Nov. 2024
  • It can also be made more orderly, rational, and humane.
    Eladio B. Bobadilla / Made by History, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Incorrectly labeled fish can undermine conscious consumers’ efforts to purchase responsibly.
    Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2024
  • An emphasis on sustainability and energy efficiency can reduce long-term operating costs while also appealing to environmentally conscious residents and businesses.
    Meyer Orbach, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The small volume of leaves produced by a few small trees is not likely to have any appreciable impact on your ability to grow a healthy lawn.
    Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 11 Oct. 2024
  • The speakers perform admirably for the rest of the track, with appreciable treble and a strong balance.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 7 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • Your music feels, from the beginning to now, very coherent.
    Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2024
  • What’s good enough for Pakistan at Multan can also work for a far more coherent outfit.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near sensible

Cite this Entry

“Sensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sensible. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on sensible

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