receivable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "receivable" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in financial contexts to refer to amounts of money that are owed to a company or organization, often in the form of accounts receivable. Example: "The company's balance sheet shows a significant increase in accounts receivable this quarter, indicating higher sales on credit."

✓ Grammatically correct

Formal & Business

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

In a terse statement, the office of Ban Ki-moon, the secretary-general, declared the claims "not receivable" because of the organisation's privileges and immunities.Most scientists who have studied the matter have concluded that UN peacekeepers unwittingly brought cholera to Haiti in 2010.

The Economist

Another incentive to return home: a cut of the migrants' wages is placed in a Canadian pension fund, receivable only if they return to Mexico.

The Economist

Michael Lynch of Strategic Energy & Economic Research, an industry consultancy, explains that, under the oil industry's murky accounting practices, "shifting a project from proven to probable is like moving it out of a cash account to accounts receivable.

The Economist

The merger, effected by Mr U Previti and based on balance sheets drawn up as at December 27th 1978, was the answer.Mr U Previti said there would be an interest-bearing receivable, due from Fininvest Srl, of 17.69 billion lire in Fininvest Roma's balance sheet at December 27th 1978 (ie, the payment made by Fininvest Roma at step 8 of table 1 must have been included in that balance).

The Economist

These obligations were transferred periodically to Mr Bennett's firm; Refco's accounts then reflected a receivable from that entity.

The Economist

They say that since late last year Mr Bennett had "actively participated" in a scheme to hide as much as $545m, with the money cleverly repaid just before routine audits.The initial internal review found a receivable owed to Refco by a firm controlled by Mr Bennett.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

Before the Durbin-Delahunt bill, the biggest test came in December 2000, when LTV, a steel company, filed for bankruptcy and tried to retain money it received on inventory and receivables that it had already in effect sold to two special-purpose vehicles for $650m.

The Economist

They hold credit balances with CIT after selling their receivables to the firm but receiving only a portion of the payment upfront.

The Economist

A bank on the receiving end of mortgage repayments or credit-card receivables can do something similar: bundle the loans up and sell them, or use them as collateral to get funding, which it can then use to issue more loans.

The Economist

When I discovered that their accounts-receivable guy is named Flanders, I decided to step in and challenge the whole company to a Cartoon-Off.

The New Yorker

Having enough money for R.& D., manufacturing, inventory and account-receivable financing usually does not leave enough for setting up your own factory and/or subcontracting domestic production.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to debts owed to a business, use the term "accounts receivable" for clarity in financial contexts. This is a standard term understood in accounting and business settings.

Common error

While "receivable" is appropriate in financial discussions, it's not a universal synonym for "able to be received". Choose more common alternatives like "acceptable" or "available" in general writing to ensure clarity and natural language.

Linguistic Context

The term "receivable" primarily functions as an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, it describes something capable of being received. As a noun, it commonly refers to debts owed to a business, especially in the context of "accounts receivable", according to Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Formal & Business

34%

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "receivable" is a grammatically sound term, often employed in formal, business, and encyclopedia contexts. Predominantly functioning as an adjective or noun, it's commonly associated with debts owed to a business. As Ludwig AI points out, it commonly refers to debts owed to a business, especially in the context of "accounts receivable", making it a common part of the lexicon in business and finance. While it's considered a proper term, be mindful of its appropriate use in different contexts to maintain clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

collectible

Replaces "receivable" with a term emphasizing the ability to be collected, particularly referring to debts or payments.

recoverable

Emphasizes the possibility of regaining something, often money or assets.

retrievable

Focuses on the act of getting something back, suitable in contexts where retrieval is key.

obtainable

Highlights the ability to get or acquire something, shifting the focus to acquisition.

eligible for receipt

A more formal phrase emphasizing qualification for receiving something.

subject to receiving

Indicates a condition where something is dependent on receiving something else.

open to receiving

Suggests a willingness or availability to receive something.

available to be received

A more descriptive phrase indicating accessibility for receiving.

attainable

Similar to "obtainable", but with a stronger emphasis on the effort or process required to achieve receipt.

accruable

Focuses on the accumulation or earning of something over time, like interest or benefits.

FAQs

How is "receivable" typically used in accounting?

In accounting, "receivable" most commonly appears in the term "accounts receivable", which refers to money owed to a company by its customers for goods or services provided on credit. It represents a current asset on the balance sheet.

What's the difference between "receivable" and "payable"?

"Receivable" refers to money owed to a company, while "payable" refers to money owed by a company. One company's receivable is another's "payable".

What can I say instead of "not receivable" in a legal context?

In a legal context, alternatives to "not receivable" include "inadmissible", "unacceptable", or "not "admissible"", depending on the specific reason for rejection.

Is it correct to use "receivable" to describe a physical object that can be received?

While grammatically possible, using "receivable" for physical objects is uncommon. It's generally better to use adjectives like "available", "accessible", or "obtainable" in those cases.