susceptible

[suh-sep-tuh-buhl]

adjective

1. admitting or capable of some specified treatment.

   susceptible of a high polish; susceptible to various interpretations.

2. accessible or especially liable or subject to some influence, mood, agency, etc..

   susceptible to colds; susceptible to flattery.

3. capable of being affected emotionally; impressionable.

susceptible

/ səˈsɛptəbəl /

adjective

1. (postpositive; foll by of or to) yielding readily (to); capable (of)

   hypotheses susceptible of refutation

   susceptible to control

2. liable to be afflicted (by)

   susceptible to colds

3. easily impressed emotionally

Other Word Forms

• susceptibleness noun
• susceptibly adverb
• nonsusceptible adjective
• nonsusceptibleness noun
• nonsusceptibly adverb
• oversusceptible adjective
• oversusceptibleness noun
• oversusceptibly adverb
• presusceptible adjective
• unsusceptible adjective
• unsusceptibleness noun
• unsusceptibly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of susceptible¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Late Latin susceptibilis, from suscept(us) “taken up” (past participle of suscipere “to take up, support,” from sus- sus- + -cipere, combining form of capere “to take”) + -ibilis -ible

Word History and Origins

Origin of susceptible¹

C17: from Late Latin susceptibilis, from Latin suscipere to take up, from _sub- + capere to take

Example Sentences

Obviously, Ellie is unique, but at the same time, is there something about the Goffin’s cockatoo that makes her maybe more susceptible to being able to pick up communication and things like that?

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For starters, older bodies — especially after years of a sedentary lifestyle — are more susceptible to injuries.

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They executed the kind of game script to which the defending champions have long seemed susceptible.

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But basketball has proven especially susceptible to foul play.

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They have taken the dollars while knowing full well that the audience they deliver and their gambling partners want—young men—is the very audience that is most susceptible to problem gambling.

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Related Words

• affected 
• easy 
• impressionable 
• inclined 
• liable 
• prone 
• ready 
• receptive 
• responsive 
• sensitive 
• vulnerable 
• wide open