Meaning 1
Clear enough for the intended audience to comprehend.
Reach for it when Praising language, instructions, or explanations for accessibility.
A labeled diagram made the maintenance sequence understandable to new volunteers.
Meaning 2
Reasonable or natural given the circumstances.
Reach for it when Acknowledging a reaction without necessarily endorsing every consequence.
Her reluctance to travel again so soon was entirely understandable.
| Meaning 1 | Meaning 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| everyday | ||
| warm |
| |
| professional |
| |
| formal |
everyday
Fits when readers can readily make sense of the message
Not when does not address whether a reaction is reasonable
professional
Fits when content welcomes people with varied knowledge
Not when also refers to physical or disability access
formal
Fits when speech or writing can be decoded
Not when may be intelligible without being easy
everyday
Fits when a response fits the known circumstances
Not when can imply sound judgment rather than emotional context
warm
Fits when a mistake merits compassion
Not when too moral when no wrongdoing occurred
warm
Fits when a feeling follows human expectations
Not when may suggest inevitability that is not present
formal
Fits when reasons can defend the action
Not when stronger than merely being easy to understand
readily understandable
Color and spacing made the timetable readily understandable.
understandable explanation
Her understandable explanation avoided both jargon and euphemism.
perfectly understandable
His caution was perfectly understandable after the earlier collapse.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vininn126, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated
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