viable

American  

[vahy-uh-buhl] / ˈvaɪ ə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of living.

2. Physiology.

   1. physically fitted to live.

   2. (of a fetus) having reached such a stage of development as to be capable of living, under normal conditions, outside the uterus.

3. Botany. able to live and grow.

4. vivid; real; stimulating, as to the intellect, imagination, or senses.

   a period of history that few teachers can make viable for students.

5. practicable; workable.

   a viable alternative.

   Synonyms:

   adaptable, usable, feasible, practical

6. having the ability to grow, expand, develop, etc..

   a new and viable country.

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viable British  

/ ˈvaɪəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of becoming actual, useful, etc; practicable

   a viable proposition

2. (of seeds, eggs, etc) capable of normal growth and development

3. (of a fetus) having reached a stage of development at which further development can occur independently of the mother

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Other Word Forms

• unviable
  adjective
• viability
  noun
• viably
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of viable

First recorded in 1820–30; from French, from vi(e) “life” (from Latin vīta; see vital) + -able -able

Explanation

When something is viable, it has the ability to grow or function properly. A viable seed can develop into a plant, while a viable company has the resources to succeed. The adjective viable refers to something able to function properly and even grow. It is made up of the Latin root vita, which means "life," and the ending -able, which means "to be possible." In terms of science or botany, when a plant is viable it can live and flourish in an environment such as a cactus in the desert. Consider also the Wright brothers, who were the first to develop a viable airplane after many tries and spectacular failures.

Example Sentences

"What Reform has done for the first time in my political lifetime is offer a viable and real alternative to those two old parties," Yusuf said.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

However, stadium economics, scheduling restrictions, and a lack of government and corporate support have created ongoing structural challenges that make it difficult to establish a viable path forward for the club.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

Andres Sheppard, an analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald, has called Neutron the only viable alternative to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, the industry’s workhorse.

From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026

"We need more robust catalysts and better system designs to ensure the technology is both efficient and economically viable at scale."

From Science Daily • May 4, 2026

He envied them because they were different from him, and because, despite their poverty, their language and their culture seemed to offer a viable and dignified alternative.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

Related Words

• applicable
• feasible
• possible
• usable
• workable