explicable

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'explicable' is correct and can be used in written English.
It can be used to describe something that can be explained or understood. For example: "The sudden uptick in sales was explicable due to the promotion that had been running for the last few weeks."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Too often in Othello, Iago's motives for doing down his former comrade can be obscure, but Kinnear insists his villainy is explicable.

The Guardian

To the outsider's eye these complaints tend to display a high degree of pettiness and conceit, as with the applicant for a medical job with the commission who argued that his non-hiring was explicable only by a prejudice on the commission's part against Swedish medical qualifications.

The Economist

From the gaps (all explicable) in the surviving evidence about Auschwitz-Birkenau they infer that the gas chambers there were a propaganda invention.

The Economist

Isn't this irrational, and further evidence of the uselessness of economic theory?Not according to a recent article* in the RAND Journal of Economics, which argues that such behaviour is readily explicable.

The Economist

James Surowiecki looks at the case as a poignant encapsulation of the bubble mentality that prevailed in 2007:What's less explicable, and more troubling, is the way all the players in this deal in effect outsourced the responsibility for their own due diligence to others.

The Economist

This is a China-like level, and explicable by the same demographic change that China has undergone.

The Economist

The triumph of DOS over the Macintosh operating system is equally explicable.

The Economist

The benign view is that the rise in swap spreads is explicable by rising interest rates, greater default risk, and the relative sizes of government- and corporate-bond markets.Governments are issuing fewer bonds.

The Economist

Explicable differences amounted to 77% of the overall pay gap between the sexes.

The Economist

As Felix Salmon notes in an excellent post on the virtual money, enthusiasts for Bitcoin and gold come from separate social niches so this trend divergence is explicable, even though one might think their fundamental similarities (a restricted supply) might prompt them to be correlated in normal circumstances.

The Economist

It's easy to attack items in a stimulus package that are not immediately explicable as "things that will help the economy".

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "explicable" when you want to emphasize that something can be understood or accounted for, often after investigation or analysis.

Common error

Avoid using "explicated" when you mean "explicable". "Explicated" means to explain in detail, while "explicable" means capable of being explained.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "explicable" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns to indicate that something is capable of being explained or understood. Ludwig AI confirms that "explicable" is correct and can be used in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Wiki

4%

Social Media

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "explicable" functions as an adjective denoting that something is capable of being explained or understood. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness for use in written English. Its register ranges from neutral to formal, and it appears most frequently in science, news, and formal business contexts. While a common word, it's important to avoid confusion with similar-sounding words like "explicated", which has a different meaning. Related phrases include "understandable" and "explainable". Remember, "explicable" is the perfect word when you want to emphasize that something can be understood, often after thorough examination.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

explainable

A direct synonym, indicating something can be made clear or accounted for.

understandable

Implies something is easy to grasp or comprehend, similar to being able to be explained.

intelligible

Similar to comprehensible, but often implies a higher level of clarity and coherence.

comprehensible

Suggests something is able to be understood, often implying a level of complexity that can still be grasped.

interpretable

Indicates that something can be understood or explained based on available information.

accountable

Indicates something can be justified or have a reason provided for it.

justifiable

Indicates something can be shown to be right or reasonable, providing an explanation for its existence or occurrence.

demonstrable

Suggests that something can be proven or shown to be true, providing an explanation through evidence.

solvable

Suggests a problem or mystery that can be resolved or explained.

resolvable

Similar to solvable, but can also imply the settling of a dispute or clearing up of confusion.

FAQs

How can I use "explicable" in a sentence?

Use "explicable" to describe something that is capable of being explained or understood. For example, "The company's financial losses were "explicable" due to the recent economic downturn".

What is a synonym for "explicable"?

A close synonym for "explicable" is "explainable", which also means capable of being explained.

What's the difference between "explicable" and "inexplicable"?

"Explicable" means capable of being explained, while "inexplicable" means not capable of being explained or understood.

When is it appropriate to use the word "explicable"?

Use "explicable" when you want to convey that something, even if initially confusing, has a rational explanation or can be made clear with further information or analysis.