Synonyms of tractable

tractable

adjective

ˈtrak-tə-bəl 

as in obedient

readily giving in to the command or authority of another

put the dog in obedience classes, with the hopes of making her a little more tractable

Synonyms & Similar Words

• obedient
• docile
• compliant
• amenable
• biddable
• restrained
• submissive
• conformable
• controllable
• gentle
• decorous
• soft
• tame
• meek
• repressed
• amiable
• law-abiding
• governable
• obliging
• agreeable
• dutiful
• acquiescent
• manageable
• constrained
• subordinate
• yielding
• orderly
• servile
• obsequious
• disciplined
• subservient
• placable
• mannerly
• duteous
• trainable
• teachable
• mild
• slavish
• surrendering
• inhibited
• fawning
• obeisant
• handleable
• curbed
• disciplinable
• kowtowing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• intractable
• refractory
• recalcitrant
• wilful
• willful
• defiant
• unruly
• contrary
• rebellious
• restive
• ungovernable
• obstreperous
• wayward
• contumacious
• disobedient
• stubborn
• balky
• insubordinate
• noncompliant
• obstinate
• mutinous
• untoward
• unmanageable
• wild
• obdurate
• rebel
• resistant
• peevish
• unyielding
• uncontrollable
• insurgent
• headstrong
• hardheaded
• mulish
• unamenable
• dogged
• defiant
• perverse
• froward
• mischievous
• incompliant
• balky
• bad
• disorderly
• naughty
• pigheaded
• errant
• undisciplined
• self-willed
• insolent
• impudent
• dissident
• rude
• impolite
• disrespectful
• nonconformist
• misbehaving
• ill-bred
• ill-mannered

Synonym Chooser

How is the word tractable different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of tractable are amenable, docile, and obedient. While all these words mean "submissive to the will of another," tractable suggests having a character that permits easy handling or managing.

tractable animals

When might amenable be a better fit than tractable?

While the synonyms amenable and tractable are close in meaning, amenable suggests a willingness to yield or cooperate because of a desire to be agreeable or because of a natural open-mindedness.

amenable to new ideas

Where would docile be a reasonable alternative to tractable?

While in some cases nearly identical to tractable, docile implies a predisposition to submit readily to control or guidance.

a docile child

When would obedient be a good substitute for tractable?

The words obedient and tractable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, obedient implies compliance with the demands or requests of one in authority.

obedient to the government

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tractable

This should make the engine more tractable throughout the rev range, and that’s not taking into consideration an optional race exhaust setup—for track use only, nudge nudge—that bumps those figures up to 126 horsepower and 73 lb-ft of torque, while shaving another 10 pounds. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

LLMs are much less tractable, much less reliable black boxes. —Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 17 Sep. 2024

But other coalition members have so far proven less tractable. —Ruth Margalit, The New Yorker, 17 June 2024

This would shift the burden of the control effort to mid-flight, simplifying the leg design and possibly making rapid bipedal motion more tractable than a moderate pace. —IEEE Spectrum, 12 May 2024

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