Understandable
adj.thoughtful, capableprofessional
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.
Choose between these
3- everyday
readers can readily make sense of the message
not when does not address whether a reaction is reasonable
- professional
content welcomes people with varied knowledge
not when also refers to physical or disability access
- formal
speech or writing can be decoded
not when may be intelligible without being easy
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.
Choose between these
4- everyday
a response fits the known circumstances
not when can imply sound judgment rather than emotional context
- warm
a mistake merits compassion
not when too moral when no wrongdoing occurred
- warm
a feeling follows human expectations
not when may suggest inevitability that is not present
- formal
reasons can defend the action
not when stronger than merely being easy to understand
Said against
3- incomprehensible
- opaque
- unreasonable
It naturally appears in
3- 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.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, adjective: able to be understood opens in a new tab for meaning 1 · retrieved 2026-07-26
- wiktionary, adjective: excusable or natural in context opens in a new tab for meaning 2 · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.