First Known Use: 1596
Dictionary
amenable
adjective ame·na·ble \ə-ˈmē-nə-bəl, -ˈme-\
: willing to agree or to accept something that is wanted or asked for
: able to be controlled, organized, or affected by something
Full Definition of AMENABLE
1
: liable to be brought to account : answerable <citizens amenable to the law>
2
a : capable of submission (as to judgment or test) : suited <the data is amenable to analysis> b : readily brought to yield, submit, or cooperate <a government not amenable to change> c : willing 1 <was amenable to spending more time at home>
— ame·na·bil·i·ty \-ˌmē-nə-ˈbil-ət-ē, -ˌme-\ noun
— ame·na·bly \-ˈmē-nə-blē, -ˈme-\ adverb
See amenable defined for English-language learners
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Examples of AMENABLE
- Mr. Bush is in a position to make his party more amenable to minorities and especially blacks. He should seize the moment. —Jason L. Riley, Wall Street Journal, 16 Jan. 2003
- While no one yet knows how wide … margins can go, contracts establish royalty rates and project them far into the future. Many agents have thus pushed for a term of license of just a few years. Publishers, however, are not always amenable. —Steven M. Zeitchik, Publishers Weekly, 14 June 1999
- Some of the newer findings address a vexing flaw in the sole noninvasive screening test for detecting microscopic prostate cancer, the form most amenable to a cure. —Marc B. Garnick et al., Scientific American, December 1998
- … depression, schizophrenia and manic depression, mental troubles that are now considered amenable to treatment by drug therapy … —Sherry Turkle, London Review of Books, 19 Mar. 1998
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Origin of AMENABLE
Anglo-French, from amener to bring, compel, from a- (from Latin ad-) + mener to lead, from Late Latin minare to drive, from Latin minari to threaten — more at mount
Related to AMENABLE
Synonym Discussion of AMENABLE
responsible, answerable, accountable, amenable, liable mean subject to being held to account. responsible implies holding a specific office, duty, or trust <the bureau responsible for revenue collection>. answerable suggests a relation between one having a moral or legal obligation and a court or other authority charged with oversight of its observance <an intelligence agency answerable to Congress>. accountable suggests imminence of retribution for unfulfilled trust or violated obligation <elected officials are accountable to the voters>. amenable and liable stress the fact of subjection to review, censure, or control by a designated authority under certain conditions <laws are amenable to judicial review> <not liable for the debts of the former spouse>.
obedient, docile, tractable, amenable mean submissive to the will of another. obedient implies compliance with the demands or requests of one in authority <obedient to the government>. docile implies a predisposition to submit readily to control or guidance <a docile child>. tractable suggests having a character that permits easy handling or managing <tractable animals>. amenable suggests a willingness to yield or cooperate because of a desire to be agreeable or because of a natural open-mindedness <amenable to new ideas>.
obedient, docile, tractable, amenable mean submissive to the will of another. obedient implies compliance with the demands or requests of one in authority <obedient to the government>. docile implies a predisposition to submit readily to control or guidance <a docile child>. tractable suggests having a character that permits easy handling or managing <tractable animals>. amenable suggests a willingness to yield or cooperate because of a desire to be agreeable or because of a natural open-mindedness <amenable to new ideas>.
Rhymes with AMENABLE
AMENABILITY Defined for Kids
amenable
adjective ame·na·ble \ə-ˈmē-nə-bəl, -ˈme-\
Definition of AMENABLE for Kids
: readily giving in or agreeing <The builders were amenable to our wishes.>
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