understandable situation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "understandable situation" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation that is relatable or easily understood. For example: "The character's feelings in the novel were rooted in an understandable situation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Consider the observation of George F. X . McInerney then a justice on State Supreme Court in Suffolk County, while sentencing a drug defendant 10 years ago: "It's probably a better gamble to kill somebody perhaps in an understandable situation than sell cocaine".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Lukyanov, writing in the latest edition of the Daily Telegraph's supplement, Russia Beyond The Headlines, argues that it is "understandable" that the situation has deteriorated because President Barack Obama "does not think it necessary to build relations".

The Guardian

"The moves are understandable, given the situation they are faced with," said Ryo Hino, an economist at J. P. Morgan Securities, referring to weakness in the global economy and markets.

The New York Times

While not conceding that his clients said what was in the prosecution's documents, Mr. Baker said such statements could be understandable given the situation.

The New York Times

The night was cold, and people looked tense – understandable, given the situation.

Vice

And, as human beings, I think we could agree it's understandable in this situation.

Huffington Post

She called Scully's unhappiness with her situation "understandable" and positively critiqued Gillian Anderson, calling her performance "wonderful".

Wikipedia

The findings suggest that information makes the situation understandable and possible to cope with, but also that the next of kin experience difficulties in taking in the given information.

BMC Nursing

A New England Journal of Medicine editorial commenting on the findings said that while the belief that aggressive treatment of cardiac risk factors in diabetics was logical and understandable, in certain situations it turned out to be risky.

The Guardian - Opinion

Their visible frustration at finding themselves in this situation is understandable.

The Guardian

With memories of last year's Danish cartoon row still fresh, there are understandable concerns that the situation could dramatically escalate around the world.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "understandable situation" when you want to convey that a particular set of circumstances is easy to comprehend or relatable to others.

Common error

In formal writing, avoid overusing "understandable situation". Instead, opt for more sophisticated synonyms like "comprehensible scenario" or "explicable circumstance" to enhance the sophistication of your prose.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "understandable situation" functions as a noun phrase, where the adjective "understandable" modifies the noun "situation". Ludwig provides examples showing how it relates to various contexts to convey the comprehensibility of a specific set of circumstances.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

46%

Science

32%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "understandable situation" is a grammatically sound and usable expression to describe circumstances that are easy to comprehend, as confirmed by Ludwig. Although relatively rare, its usage spans across various contexts, including news, media, science, wiki, and formal business settings. To add variety and formality to your writing, consider using synonyms such as "comprehensible scenario" or "explicable circumstance". Remember to avoid overusing the phrase in formal contexts to maintain a sophisticated tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

comprehensible scenario

Replaces 'understandable' with 'comprehensible' and 'situation' with 'scenario', emphasizing ease of understanding within a specific context.

explicable circumstance

Substitutes 'understandable' with 'explicable' and 'situation' with 'circumstance', highlighting the ability to provide a clear explanation for the event.

reasonable state of affairs

Replaces "understandable" with "reasonable" and "situation" with "state of affairs" to convey a sense of logical or justifiable circumstances.

intelligible set of events

Uses 'intelligible' instead of 'understandable' and 'set of events' instead of 'situation', focusing on the clarity and comprehensibility of a sequence of occurrences.

logical context

Replaces "understandable" with "logical", emphasizing the rational and coherent nature of the context, eliminating the word 'situation' which suggests it's already present.

plain circumstance

Substitutes 'understandable' with 'plain', suggesting simplicity and ease of comprehension regarding the circumstance.

clear cut case

Uses 'clear cut' instead of 'understandable' and 'case' instead of 'situation' to indicate a straightforward and easily understood scenario.

graspable event

Replaces 'understandable' with 'graspable' and 'situation' with 'event', highlighting the ability to quickly comprehend and understand the occurrence.

transparent issue

Substitutes 'understandable' with 'transparent' and 'situation' with 'issue', emphasizing the clarity and lack of ambiguity surrounding the matter.

straightforward predicament

Replaces 'understandable' with 'straightforward' and 'situation' with 'predicament', highlighting the ease of understanding regarding the difficult or challenging situation.

FAQs

How can I use "understandable situation" in a sentence?

You can use "understandable situation" to describe a scenario that is easy to grasp or relate to. For example: "Her reaction was a normal response to an "understandable situation"."

What are some alternatives to "understandable situation"?

Alternatives include "comprehensible scenario", "explicable circumstance", or "reasonable state of affairs". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "understandable situation" formal or informal?

"Understandable situation" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although more formal synonyms may be preferable in academic or professional writing.

What does it mean for a situation to be 'understandable'?

When a situation is described as "understandable", it means that the reasons behind the situation, or the reactions to it, are easy to comprehend. The factors that cause the situation may be intuitive or logical.