What does exorable mean?
Exorable is a formal adjective describing someone or something capable of being persuaded, softened, or moved by earnest pleading. A person who is exorable may yield to appeals, requests, or tears, in contrast to one who is implacable or unbending. The word derives from the Latin exorabilis, formed from exorare, meaning to prevail upon by entreaty, itself built on the verb orare, to pray or plead. Although it entered English by the early seventeenth century, exorable has always lived in the shadow of its far better-known opposite, inexorable, which dominates both everyday and literary use. As a result, exorable appears mainly in formal writing and deliberate rhetorical contrast, where writers invoke it precisely because its rarity lends emphasis: calling someone exorable highlights their openness and mercy against a world often characterized as relentless and unmoved by appeal.
adjectiveAble to be persuaded, moved, or won over by pleading or request; open to entreaty.
- Capable of being persuaded or moved by entreaty or pleading.
"Unlike her stern predecessor, the new judge was exorable, often softening sentences after hearing a defendant's plea."
"The committee proved exorable, granting an extension once the students explained their circumstances."
"His exorable nature made him a poor negotiator; he gave ground at the first sign of appeal."
Exorable is the rare positive twin of the famous 'inexorable' — a word English kept in its shadow for centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exorable
Exorable comes from the Latin exorabilis, derived from the verb exorare, 'to prevail upon by entreaty,' formed from ex- ('out, thoroughly') plus orare ('to pray, plead'). It entered English in the early seventeenth century, largely as a counterpart to the older and more popular 'inexorable.' The same Latin root orare underlies words such as oracle, oration, and adore.
How exorable is actually used
Formal and literary in register; rare in everyday speech. Almost always encountered as the antonym of the much more frequent 'inexorable'.
Easily confused with exorable
Inexorable means the exact opposite of exorable — impossible to persuade or move — and is far more common in modern usage.