measurable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of measurable
1300–50; Middle English mesurable < Middle French < Late Latin mēnsūrābilis that can be measured. See measure, -able
Explanation
If you can determine the exact size of something, it's measurable. Your Spanish class's average score on a test is measurable — but the amount of enthusiasm your classmates felt about taking the test isn't measurable. If you can measure something, figuring out its precise size, degree, or amount, then it's measurable. There's a measurable quantity of milk left in the fridge and a measurable amount of snow in your front yard. A slightly different way to use this adjective is to mean noticeable, or important enough to be measured. If there's a measurable improvement in your sister's mood after you help her clean her room, the difference is enough for you to notice — even if it's just slightly better.
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 ever since March, his listening data “shows a sharp and measurable decline in counted streams, despite continued listener activity,” as detailed in the complaint.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
As utility companies continue to raise prices, it feels good to offset a measurable portion of my family’s daily electricity consumption.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
For quantum bulls, the IPO will be a chance to buy into a company that has been making moves while private, including expanding its geographical footprint and, most importantly, leading in measurable technical benchmarks.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
The results show that kitchen sponges do shed measurable amounts of microplastics over time.
From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026
Inside of this, too, was a secondary message to the black community itself, a reminder that progress was possible, that our worth was measurable.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
