Meaning & use
perceptible
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparable
Possible to notice with the senses or the mind, even if only barely.
Grammar: Used after a verb or before a noun: the change was perceptible, a perceptible shift.
Patterns
- perceptible to someone
- barely perceptible
- scarcely perceptible
There was a barely perceptible tremor in his voice.
A perceptible chill settled over the room.
The difference in taste is perceptible only to experts.
Word forms
| comparative | more perceptible |
|---|---|
| superlative | most perceptible |
Common combinations
- barely perceptible
- Her smile was barely perceptible.
- clearly perceptible
- The smell of smoke was clearly perceptible.
- perceptible change
- There was a perceptible change in the weather.
- perceptible to the eye
- The crack was not perceptible to the naked eye.
- scarcely perceptible
- A scarcely perceptible nod told him to proceed.
Synonyms and how they differ
- noticeable
- Noticeable is the everyday word, and unlike perceptible it does not suggest something at the edge of detection.
- detectable
- Detectable often relates to instruments or tests, while perceptible relates to human senses.
- discernible
- Discernible usually suggests that something can be picked out with some effort, often by sight or thought.
- visible
- Visible covers only what can be seen, but perceptible includes sounds, smells, and feelings.
Opposites
Word family
- perceive verb
- to notice or understand
- perception noun
- the way you notice or understand things
- perceptibly adverb
- in a way that can be noticed
- imperceptible adjective
- too slight to be noticed
Commonly confused: perceptible or perceptive?
perceptible vs perceptive
Perceptive describes a person who notices things quickly; perceptible describes the thing that can be noticed.
Practice
The light dimmed so slowly that the change was hardly ___ to the audience.
Choose one answer.
Perceptible describes a change that can be noticed. Perceptive describes a person who notices things, so it does not fit a change.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “perceptible”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.