What does thinkable mean?
Thinkable is an adjective meaning capable of being thought about or entertained as an idea. It is stronger and more precise than possible when discussing something that can be conceived in principle, even if it is unlikely, undesirable, or difficult to describe. The word is especially common in philosophical writing, where thinkers distinguish what is thinkable from what is actual, logically coherent, or unthinkable. In ordinary use, something thinkable is not necessarily practical or morally acceptable; it simply falls within the range of ideas that can be considered. For example, a speculative political arrangement might be thinkable even before anyone knows whether it could be achieved. Thinkable also differs from thinkers, which refers to people, and from thoughtful or thinking, which focus on the quality or act of thought. Its usefulness lies in making a careful distinction between the limits of imagination and the limits of reality.
adjectiveCapable of being thought about or entertained as a concept; conceivable. It usually describes an idea, proposition, possibility, or form that can be considered in principle.
- Capable of being thought about or considered; conceivable.
"The question is whether such a universe is thinkable at all."
"The proposal was ambitious, but it was at least thinkable."
"She struggled to imagine a society in which such an arrangement was thinkable."
Thinkable asks a quieter question than true or false: can this idea enter the world of thought at all?
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does thinkable come from?
Thinkable was formed in English from the older verb think and the suffix -able, meaning “able to be” or “capable of being.” Its base, think, has roots in Old English, while the productive English suffix -able derives ultimately from Latin -abilis. The related forms thought, thinking, and thinker share the same verbal foundation and reflect the long development of English thought.
Related word forms
How thinkable is actually used
Predominantly formal and philosophical. It is usually applied to concepts, propositions, possibilities, or forms, and does not normally mean that a person is capable of thinking.
Easily confused with thinkable
A thinker is a person who thinks or reflects, whereas thinkable is an adjective describing something that can be thought or entertained as a concept.