comprehensible

1 of 2

adjective

com·​pre·​hen·​si·​ble ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-sə-bəl How to pronounce comprehensible (audio)
-prē-
Synonyms of comprehensiblenext
: capable of being comprehended : intelligible
a comprehensible explanation
comprehensibility
ˌkäm-pri-ˌhen(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce comprehensible (audio)
-prē-
noun
comprehensibleness
ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-sə-bəl-nəs How to pronounce comprehensible (audio)
-prē-
noun
comprehensibly
ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-sə-blē How to pronounce comprehensible (audio)
-prē-
adverb

comprehensibility

2 of 2

noun

com·​pre·​hen·​si·​bil·​i·​ty ˌkäm-pri-ˌhen(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce comprehensibility (audio)
-prē-
plural -es
: the quality or state of being comprehensible

Synonyms of comprehensible

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Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of comprehensible in a Sentence

Adjective a book that makes the subject of longitude comprehensible to most laymen
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Dahl’s revulsion at the violence committed in Israel’s name is at once comprehensible, in and of itself, and rooted in Dahl’s set of antisemitic beliefs. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026 By these arguments, an AI proof of a mathematical conjecture that has stubbornly resisted human efforts would be useful only if comprehensible to humans. — Benjamin Skuse, IEEE Spectrum, 25 June 2026 The San Francisco Chronicle received the award for explanatory reporting, which means work that makes a complex topic comprehensible to everyday readers and viewers. — Jennifer Peltz, Twin Cities, 4 May 2026 Chess can seem abstruse and forbidding to the uninitiated, but Himelfarb’s account of it is as readable and comprehensible as any more familiar sports story—or, for that matter, any narrative in which a bunch of ambitious people pursue a single goal. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for comprehensible

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see comprehend

First Known Use

Adjective

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of comprehensible was in 1598

Rhymes for comprehensible

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Browse Nearby Words

comprehensibility
comprehensible
comprehension
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Comprehensible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comprehensible. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on comprehensible

Nglish: Translation of comprehensible for Spanish Speakers

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