susceptible
Americanadjective
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admitting or capable of some specified treatment.
susceptible of a high polish; susceptible to various interpretations.
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accessible or especially liable or subject to some influence, mood, agency, etc..
susceptible to colds; susceptible to flattery.
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capable of being affected emotionally; impressionable.
adjective
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(postpositive; foll by of or to) yielding readily (to); capable (of)
hypotheses susceptible of refutation
susceptible to control
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liable to be afflicted (by)
susceptible to colds
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easily impressed emotionally
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of susceptible
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Late Latin susceptibilis, from suscept(us) “taken up” (past participle of suscipere “to take up, support,” from sus- sus- + -cipere, combining form of capere “to take”) + -ibilis -ible
Explanation
If you are susceptible to something such as infections or earaches, it means you are likely to become sick with these things. Have you ever received something you don't want? Well, with susceptible meaning "likely to be influenced or affected by" that is probably going to be the case. If you're susceptible to flattery, and someone wants something from you, all they have to do is give you a compliment or two and you'll do what they want. Material that's susceptible to cracking won't be in good condition for long.
Vocabulary lists containing susceptible
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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1984
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Esperanza Rising
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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.
Susceptible to an array of tropical storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods and droughts, Mexico had for years struggled to recover financially from its most crippling events.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2018
Susceptible roses eventually require sprays as the summer wears on, but the onslaught of the disease is significantly delayed.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 1, 2017
Susceptible to random, possibly erroneous but powerful memories out of his past, the professor, now living a comfortable American suburban life, begins to mistake his wife of many years for another woman, “Yen.”
From The New Yorker • Feb. 5, 2017
Susceptible animals on the affected farms were culled two days after the strain was discovered and protection zones of 3km and surveillance zones of 10km were set up in accordance with new European policies.
From BBC • Feb. 17, 2016
Susceptible people should avoid the plant if possible.
From American Red Cross Text-Book on Home Hygiene and Care of the Sick by Cross, American Red
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.
