Meaning & use
portable
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Light and easy to carry or move from place to place.
Grammar: Can be compared: more portable, most portable.
Patterns
- portable device
- portable computer
She bought a portable speaker for outdoor parties.
This portable grill is perfect for camping.
nouncountable
A small device, especially a radio or television, that can be carried easily.
Grammar: Often used in the phrase 'a portable'.
Patterns
- a portable radio
- a portable TV
He listened to the match on a portable.
They took a portable to the beach.
Word forms
| comparative | more portable |
|---|---|
| superlative | most portable |
| plural | portables |
Common combinations
- portable computer
- A portable computer is easy to carry.
- portable phone
- He always carries a portable phone.
- highly portable
- The new model is highly portable.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mobile
- Mobile means able to move or be moved, often by motor; portable emphasizes that it can be carried by hand.
- handheld
- Handheld means designed to be held in the hand; portable can also include things carried in a bag.
Opposites
Word family
- portability noun
- The quality of being portable.
Commonly confused: portable or potable?
portable vs potable
Potable means safe to drink, as in potable water; portable means easy to carry.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'portable' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Portable' describes something easy to carry, so a laptop can be portable. Option 0 confuses it with 'potable' (drinkable), option 2 uses it as a verb, and option 3 uses it as a noun but the context is odd.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “portable”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.