considerable
Americanadjective
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rather large or great in size, distance, extent, etc..
It cost a considerable amount. We took a considerable length of time to decide.
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worthy of respect, attention, etc.; important; distinguished.
a considerable person.
noun
adverb
adjective
-
large enough to reckon with
a considerable quantity
-
a lot of; much
he had considerable courage
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worthy of respect
a considerable man in the scientific world
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of considerable
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin consīderābilis, from consīderā(re) “to examine” ( see consider) + -bilis -ble
Explanation
Use the adjective considerable to describe something that is large in amount. Things you probably spend a considerable amount of time on: homework and laundry. Things you'd rather spend time on: anything that isn't homework and laundry! The adjective considerable can describe something of importance and is worthy of notice or respect. If you are an excellent singer, dancer, musician, writer, or similar profession, people may ask you to donate your considerable talents to charitable causes. If you're not an excellent singer, dancer, musician, or writer, they will still ask you to donate, but they are more likely to ask for money!
Vocabulary lists containing considerable
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Supporters of so-called self-enforcing roads say narrowing lanes can lead to a considerable decline in crashes as drivers reduce their speed and move more cautiously.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
That framing puts considerable weight on the label the government has chosen for the policy.
From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2026
And then there’s the robustly modeled head of a young man by Michael Sweerts, another northerner who spent considerable time in Italy, painted after his return to the North.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
‘There is considerable tension’: My grandmother, 99, wants to cut my mother out of her will.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026
The first is that people in the past do, to a considerable degree, understand what is going on and react intelligently in response to it.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
