sociable
Americanadjective
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inclined to associate with or be in the company of others.
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friendly or agreeable in company; companionable.
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characterized by agreeable companionship.
a sociable evening at the home of friends.
noun
adjective
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friendly or companionable
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(of an occasion) providing the opportunity for friendliness and conviviality
noun
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another name for social
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a type of open carriage with two seats facing each other
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sociable
1545–55; < Latin sociābilis, equivalent to sociā ( re ) to unite (derivative of socius partner, comrade) + -bilis -ble
Explanation
When you're sociable, you're willing to talk and be friendly with other people. At a party, it's a good idea to be sociable and make new friends rather than standing off in a corner by yourself. Sociable comes from the Latin sociabilis meaning "close, intimate." When you are sociable with others, you invite them to get close to you by being friendly and pleasant. When a place or group of people is friendly and inviting, it can be described as sociable. Certain small towns are known to be friendly and sociable.
Vocabulary lists containing sociable
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 2
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List 8
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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.
Right now, delay going to dinner with friends because I don’t feel terribly sociable.
From Slate • Jan. 26, 2026
Behind the apostles, in a beehive of sociable activity, wingless angels busy themselves with rituals—tending to oil lamps, burning cypress branches, playing musical instruments.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026
“He was a sociable, open and warm-hearted person,” Igorevna said.
From Salon • Oct. 27, 2025
Keeping them in separate pools permanently is considered harmful to their wellbeing as orcas are sociable animals.
From BBC • Aug. 23, 2025
It so happened that Beth’s funny loan was just the thing, for in laughing over the kits, Laurie forgot his bashfulness, and grew sociable at once.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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.
