susceptible

[ suh-sep-tuh-buhl ]

adjective

1. admitting or capable of some specified treatment:

   susceptible of a high polish; susceptible to various interpretations.

2. accessible or especially liable or subject to some influence, mood, agency, etc.:

   susceptible to colds; susceptible to flattery.

3. capable of being affected emotionally; impressionable.

susceptible

/ səˈsɛptəbəl /

adjective

1. postpositive; foll by of or to yielding readily (to); capable (of)

   hypotheses susceptible of refutation

   susceptible to control

2. postpositivefoll byto liable to be afflicted (by)

   susceptible to colds

3. easily impressed emotionally

Derived Forms

• susˈceptibleness, noun
• susˈceptibly, adverb

Other Words From

• sus·cepti·ble·ness noun
• sus·cepti·bly adverb
• nonsus·cepti·ble adjective
• nonsus·cepti·ble·ness noun
• nonsus·cepti·bly adverb
• over·sus·cepti·ble adjective
• over·sus·cepti·ble·ness noun
• over·sus·cepti·bly adverb
• presus·cepti·ble adjective
• unsus·cepti·ble adjective
• unsus·cepti·ble·ness noun
• unsus·cepti·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of susceptible¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of susceptible¹

C17: from Late Latin susceptibilis, from Latin suscipere to take up, from sub- + capere to take

Example Sentences

In testing the water samples, they found that natural springs are very susceptible to contamination from neonicotinoid insecticides.

From Science Daily

Yount has studied flu and this protein for years, and his lab developed a mouse model lacking the gene that codes for IFITM3 -- making the animals highly susceptible to flu.

From Science Daily

Leasca also writes that those living or working in "rural, farming-intensive areas" might be more susceptible to exposure to these chemicals.

From Salon

But even with his new and improved conditioning, Mara is far less agile than Kyle and susceptible to being beaten off the dribble by more athletic counterparts.

From Los Angeles Times

“We all can be susceptible” to a deepfake, he said, “especially when it’s confirming a natural bias that we already have.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• affected
• easy
• impressionable
• inclined
• liable
• prone
• ready
• receptive
• responsive
• sensitive
• vulnerable
• wide open