palpable

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   So strong or obvious, especially a feeling or mood, that people seem able to sense it as if it were physical.

   Grammar: Usually comes before a noun naming a feeling: palpable tension; it can also follow be: the relief was palpable.

   As the results were read out, the tension in the hall was palpable.

   There was palpable relief when the storm finally passed.

   Her excitement was palpable to everyone in the room.

2. 2adjectivecomparableformal

   Clearly present and easy to notice or prove.

   Grammar: Used before nouns like error, difference or lie.

   The report contained a palpable error on the first page.

   There was a palpable difference in quality between the two versions.

   His story was a palpable lie, and everyone knew it.

3. 3adjectivecomparablemedicaltechnical

   Able to be felt by touch, especially during a medical examination.

   Grammar: Used mostly in medicine: a palpable lump.

   The doctor found a palpable lump in the patient's neck.

   The pulse was palpable at the wrist.

   A palpable swelling developed around the ankle.

Word forms

Common combinations

palpable tension

Palpable tension filled the room before the verdict.

palpable relief

A palpable relief spread through the crowd.

a palpable sense of

There was a palpable sense of excitement at the opening.

palpable excitement

The palpable excitement of the fans carried the team.

a palpable lump

The doctor felt a palpable lump during the exam.

a palpable difference

There is a palpable difference between the two schools.

Synonyms and how they differ

tangible

Tangible means something real that can be touched or measured, such as tangible results, while palpable is stronger when talking about an atmosphere.

noticeable

Noticeable is mild and everyday, while palpable suggests a feeling so strong you can nearly touch it.

obvious

Obvious means easy to see or understand, but it does not have palpable's sense of something felt in the air.

perceptible

Perceptible means capable of being detected by the senses and often suggests something faint, which is the opposite of the force palpable implies.

Opposites

Word family

palpably adverb

in a way that is clearly felt or obvious

palpability noun

the quality of being easy to feel or notice

palpate verb

to examine by touching, in medicine

palpation noun

the act of examining the body by touch

Commonly confused: palpable or palatable?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “palpable”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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