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Synonyms

readable

American  
[ree-duh-buhl] / ˈri də bəl /

adjective

  1. easy or interesting to read.

  2. capable of being read; legible.

    readable handwriting.

  3. pertaining to letter mail with addresses and zip codes capable of being read by optical scanning devices.

readable British  
/ ˈriːdəbəl /

adjective

  1. (of handwriting, etc) able to be read or deciphered; legible

  2. (of style of writing) interesting, easy, or pleasant to read

"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

  • readability noun
  • readably adverb

Etymology

Origin of readable

First recorded in 1560–70; read 1 + -able

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 have created a tiny, but stable and repeatedly readable QR code."

From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026

The Berkshire proxy is readable and runs less than 20 pages and compares with the 100-plus page tomes that most big companies issue.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

Using a special encryption code, the operatives could translate the numerals into a readable message.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

Mr. Scott charts a course through these momentous events with great skill, producing a book that is readable and accessible but bedded in authoritative scholarship.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

I end up with just three pages—very small type, but readable.

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements

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.