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Synonyms

manageable

American  
[man-i-juh-buhl] / ˈmæn ɪ dʒə bəl /

adjective

  1. that can be managed; tractable; governable; achievable.


manageable British  
/ ˈmænɪdʒəbəl /

adjective

  1. able to be managed or controlled

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • manageability noun
  • manageableness noun
  • manageably adverb
  • unmanageability noun
  • unmanageable adjective
  • unmanageableness noun
  • unmanageably adverb

Etymology

Origin of manageable

First recorded in 1590–1600; manage + -able

Explanation

If you can handle something, it's manageable. An overworked college student might decide to drop a horrible chemistry class to make the semester more manageable. Anything that you can accomplish can be described with the adjective manageable. It's also used in a slightly different way, to talk about something that can be controlled, like a tamed lion or a smooth and tidy head of hair. The earliest use of the root word "manage" related specifically to controlling a horse, influenced by the French word for "horsemanship," manège.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing manageable

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.

Their findings outline a path forward, suggesting that with the right combination of strategies, Alzheimer's could eventually become a manageable or even preventable condition rather than an inevitable decline.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026

The diplomatic path is more manageable than many assume.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Experts say that the situation is "manageable" right now.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

What’s Next: S&P Global Vice Chairman Daniel Yergin told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures that the energy crisis is manageable if the conflict is relatively contained, just a couple more weeks.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Admitting that to Diego, telling him about the button and the end of the world, made the burden slightly more manageable.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson