doable
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of doable
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at do 1, -able
Explanation
Something that's doable can be achieved or is possible. You might be certain your plan to ride your bike across the country is doable, while your friends and family aren't so sure. Learning to speak a new language might feel impossible at first, but you'll soon realize it's doable, especially if you find people to practice speaking with. While keeping 200 cats in your house would be utterly unworkable, keeping two cats is completely doable. Though the adjective doable has been in use since the 15th century, today it's considered to be an informal word.
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.
“We were going to make the two-stop strategy work but didn’t know if it would be doable or not,” Palou added.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026
"I do think it's doable," retired US Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery told the BBC this morning.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
"Do I think it's doable for 27/28? Yes," he told reporters.
From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026
Maintaining one’s anonymity in the pre-Instagram age was fairly doable, and Fern rocketed to who’s-that-girl status.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026
It made the move doable months earlier than would have otherwise been possible.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
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.
