understandable

understandable — adjective

1. Describes language, explanations, or instructions that are clear enough for some

1.形容詞B1
釋義

Describes language, explanations, or instructions that are clear enough for someone to follow without extra effort.

例句

The manual uses simple words to make the setup process understandable for beginners.

pattern: make + something + understandable

Apinya read the contract twice to check that every term was understandable.

同義詞
  • clear

    the most common alternative; broader — can describe voice, writing, or meaning without the '-able' nuance of effortlessness

  • comprehensible

    more formal and slightly stronger; implies full understanding rather than just basic clarity

  • intelligible

    more technical; used especially for speech, pronunciation, or written records that can be deciphered

  • straightforward

    emphasizes simplicity and lack of complication rather than just being clear

反義詞
  • incomprehensible

    impossible to understand at all

  • confusing

    causes difficulty or misunderstanding

  • unclear

    not expressed or presented in a way that is easy to understand

文法句型

be + understandable

make + something + understandable

understandable + to + someone

用法筆記

Often used with intensifying adverbs such as 'perfectly', 'easily', 'readily', or 'fully' to emphasize clarity: 'The directions were perfectly understandable.'

常見錯誤

❌His English was understandable for me' (implying 'by' meaning).
✅His English was understandable to me.
💡use 'to', not 'for', when specifying who can understand.
❌Please speak understandable' (using adjective where adverb is needed).
✅Please speak understandably.
💡use the adverb form when describing how an action is done.

2. Used about a person's feelings, actions, or reactions that seem natural and reas

2.形容詞B2
釋義

Used about a person's feelings, actions, or reactions that seem natural and reasonable when you know the situation they are in — for example, being angry after an unfair treatment, or feeling nervous before an important event.

例句

It is understandable that Mira was upset after her bag was stolen on the train.

pattern: it + be + understandable + that-clause

Diego felt nervous before his job interview, which was completely understandable.

collocation: completely understandable

同義詞
  • reasonable

    the closest synonym; focuses on the logic and good sense behind the reaction

  • natural

    emphasizes that most people would have the same reaction; less about logic, more about human instinct

  • expected

    more neutral; suggests the reaction was predictable given the circumstances

  • excusable

    directly addresses blame or fault; used when the behavior might normally be wrong but the situation justifies it

反義詞

文法句型

it + be + understandable + that-clause

it + be + understandable + why/when/if

understandable + for + someone + to-infinitive

用法筆記

This sense is almost always used with 'it' as a dummy subject (e.g., 'it is understandable that…') or with a possessive noun showing whose reaction is described ('her anger was understandable'). It is rarely used to describe the person themselves — we say 'her reaction was understandable', not 'she was understandable'.

常見錯誤

❌She was understandable when she got angry.
✅Her anger was understandable given the situation.
💡this sense describes feelings or reactions, not people.
❌It is understandable for someone being angry.
✅It is understandable that someone would be angry.
💡use a that-clause, not 'for + being'.