usable

Everyday

Usable means able to be used, or in a good enough state to be used. tree →

In the lessons

Used about tools, rooms, space, objects and data: «still usable», «usable space», «usable water». In maths problems it tells you how much can actually be used.

Examples

• The old bike is rusty but still usable. tree →
• Only half of the paper was usable after the spill. tree →
• We cleared the shed to make it usable again. tree →
• The garden has 20 square metres of usable space. tree →
• Is this pencil usable, or is it too short? tree →
• After the storm, the road was not usable for cars. tree →

Note

«Usable» is the usual spelling; «useable» is also seen. Not the same as «useful»: something can be usable but not useful for your task. In maths, «usable» parts are often total minus broken parts: 30 tiles, 4 cracked, 26 usable.