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Synonyms

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.
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

"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

  • unviable adjective
  • viability noun
  • viably adverb

Etymology

Origin of viable

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

Kane's potential absence is an immediate concern, leaving Tuchel short of viable alternatives when he needs them most, especially given these two toothless performances without him.

From BBC

AT&T is responsible for maintaining the network nationwide, even in places where service isn’t commercially viable.

From The Wall Street Journal

"There is almost no crude oil arriving" in Asia currently, and no viable alternatives to energy imports from the Middle East while "inventories are being depleted", Maynier said.

From Barron's

"It is not a question of driving the wolf away again, but of finding viable ways to live peacefully alongside it," he said.

From BBC

The promise of a more climate-friendly alternative to fossil fuels was alluring to Exxon—assuming the company could increase algae’s energy content enough to make it commercially viable.

From The Wall Street Journal

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.