What does sizable mean?
Sizable is an adjective meaning large, substantial, or considerable. It is used for things that occupy significant space or involve a significant amount of something, such as money, time, effort, risk, or change. For example, a business may describe a proposal as a sizable investment, while a report might identify a sizable rise in costs or a sizable delay in the schedule. The word is more formal and more suggestive of practical significance than a simple word such as “big,” although its meaning remains broadly similar to “large” and “substantial.” Sizable can also describe a physical object or area, but it is especially common in contexts involving scale, magnitude, impact, or resources. Its alternative spelling, “sizeable,” is traditional in British English, while “sizable” is preferred in American English and is increasingly common in both varieties.
adjectiveLarge in size, amount, or extent. It can describe something physically substantial or a significant quantity or degree.
- Large in physical dimensions.
- Existing in a substantial amount or degree.
"The project requires a sizable investment of time and money."
"They had to replace a sizable section of the old fence."
"The proposal represents a sizable change to the existing system."
Sizable is the word for when something is too big to dismiss: a sizable project, a sizable risk, or a sizable portion of the day.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sizable come from?
Sizable was formed in English by combining size with the suffix -able, originally giving the sense “capable of being sized” or “measurable.” Over time, its meaning developed into the modern sense of being large or substantial. The word is related to size and its derivatives, including sizing and sizer.
Related word forms
How sizable is actually used
Generally formal and neutral. It is often used when discussing amounts, investments, changes, problems, or impacts that are significant rather than merely physically large.
Easily confused with sizable
Both are accepted spellings, but sizable is the standard spelling in American English and is also widely used in British English, while sizeable is the more traditional British variant.