appreciable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- appreciably adverb
- unappreciable adjective
- unappreciably adverb
Etymology
Origin of appreciable
First recorded in 1810–20; appreci(ate) + -able
Explanation
Movie theater popcorn tastes much better than microwave popcorn. The difference between them is appreciable — that is, you notice it. A good way to remember appreciable is to think of the related word appreciate. You appreciate the quality of the popcorn at the movie theater because it is significantly better than what you make at home. Of course, appreciable differences aren't always appreciated. There has been an appreciable improvement in the quality of televisions in the last 20 years, but if you've got an old TV, that isn't much comfort.
Vocabulary lists containing appreciable
Novel Study: When Breath Becomes Air, Prologue–Part I
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Stan Freberg (1926-2015) Tribute List
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Anya and the Dragon
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
We found no appreciable difference between the two datasets.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
Prerelease versions of 4o that were heavily trained with user signals didn’t show much appreciable improvement on internal evaluations of capabilities on things like science or reasoning, according to people who worked on the model.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025
Glass-vitrine walls teasingly appreciable at great distances, even from the grand hall below, house dense, globe-trotting displays of ceramics.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 29, 2025
The surface at Seddon Park had a more appreciable straw-coloured hue, but the outcome for their Test contingent hoping to find form before they head across the Tasman Sea was similar.
From BBC • Oct. 29, 2025
During the first days they did not come across any appreciable obstacle.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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.
