presentable
Americanadjective
-
that may be presented.
-
suitable or socially acceptable in appearance, dress, manners, etc., as for being introduced into society.
a presentable young man.
- Synonyms:
- acceptable, proper, becoming
-
of sufficiently good, clothed, or clean appearance; fit to be seen.
Are you presentable now?
adjective
-
fit to be presented or introduced to other people
-
fit to be displayed or offered
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of presentable
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at present 2, -able
Explanation
When someone is presentable, they're clean and tidy and generally pulled together. They're prepared for interacting with other people. When you first roll out of bed in the morning, you rarely feel very presentable. Before you head off to school or work, you'll want to glance in the mirror to make sure you're somewhat presentable. For some of us, this means a shower, a hair dryer, makeup, and carefully chosen clothing, while for others it means trading pajamas for a comfortable pair of jeans. Since the early 1800s, presentable has meant "appearing suitable" or "fit to be seen." Before that, it had a purely legal meaning, "liable to be charged with wrongdoing."
Vocabulary lists containing presentable
"Thank You, M'am"
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Locomotion
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"Thank You, M'am" and "Juvenile Justice"
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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.
He hoped to look presentable for his bond hearing that day, which his lawyer had fought to schedule.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
He is interested in the world and he loves digesting information in clear and presentable ways.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026
Lopez and Rashford fired narrowly off-target while Pena saved from Torres as Barca squandered some presentable chances.
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2025
Early in September, I made myself presentable to catch a screening of “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale,” mainly to evaluate whether the spread lives up to the title’s promise.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2025
“That should do,” she says finally, when I’m more presentable than I’ve been in weeks or months.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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.
