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Synonyms

audible

American  
[aw-duh-buhl] / ˈɔ də bəl /

adjective

  1. loud enough to be heard; able to be heard.

    The pun brought an audible groan from his colleague.

    When I’m working in the basement, the sound of the traffic is barely audible.

noun

  1. Also called automatic, checkoff.  Football. a play called aloud by the quarterback at the line of scrimmage to supersede the play originally agreed upon as a result of a change in strategy.

    The quarterback called an audible that sent the running back past the other offensive guard.

    Cheering by the fans made it hard for either team to hear any audibles.

idioms

  1. call an audible, to make a last-minute change of plan in response to circumstances, new information, etc..

    Instead of the first song on their set list, the band called an audible and played one that was known to be especially popular on campus.
audible British  
/ ˈɔːdɪbəl /

adjective

  1. perceptible to the hearing; loud enough to be heard

"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

noun

  1. American football a change of playing tactics called by the quarterback when the offense is lined up at the line of scrimmage

"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

  • audibility noun
  • audibleness noun
  • audibly adverb
  • nonaudibility noun
  • nonaudible adjective
  • nonaudibleness noun
  • nonaudibly adverb
  • quasi-audible adjective
  • quasi-audibly adverb
  • subaudibility noun
  • subaudible adjective
  • subaudibleness noun
  • subaudibly adverb

Etymology

Origin of audible

First recorded in 1520–30; from Late Latin audībilis, from Latin audī(re) “to hear” + -bilis -ble

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.

Among NASA's team in Houston, there were "audible screams of delight" from scientists when the crew described flashes of light caused by meteorite impact, Young said.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

It was the first time many had seen the hardware side by side, and, amid audible gasps, their power was unmistakable.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Their task was to adjust the volume until each sound was just barely audible over the noise.

From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2026

There were audible gasps as the footage was played in court on Friday.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

Footsteps, very soft, very cautious, but plainly audible to a man listening with all his ears as Blore was listening.

From "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie

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.