conceivable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of conceivable
Explanation
If you see yellowish skies on a humid, spring evening in Kansas, it is entirely conceivable that a tornado is in the making. That is to say, it's imaginable or even possible, so make sure you take every conceivable precaution. If you conceive of something, you imagine or think of it. So, it makes sense that the adjective conceivable describes things that can be imagined or thought of. People often use the word conceivable in extreme contexts. If you look everywhere for your homework but still can't find it, you might declare, "I searched in every conceivable location! My homework must have disappeared." In response, your teacher might remark that disappearing homework is inconceivable, or "impossible to imagine."
Vocabulary lists containing conceivable
Ungifted
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 6
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Hard Times
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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.
But it was conceivable, the Mirror cautioned, that someday “the machine is likely to come up with fresh, flexible ideas”—that is, to think on its own.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
So it’s not just conceivable that voters could think of him as too aggressive—I specifically hear that it’s off-putting for some.
From Slate ● Oct. 19, 2026
“It is certainly conceivable that the best of the AI thematic trade may be behind us, and therefore we think investors should be far more selective.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Substitute Keith Evans replied for a rocked Kerry, but Jack Carney's nailed two-pointed effort put Mayo 1-14 to 1-9 ahead and amid a barely conceivable cacophony of noise from the Croke Park stands.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Dr. Alexander feels that any conceivable use of such chemicals in insect control would be “open to the most severe objections.”
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
