1 viable | Definition of viable
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

viable

adjective
vi·​a·​ble | \ ˈvÄ«-É™-bÉ™l How to pronounce viable (audio) \

Definition of viable

1a : capable of living a viable skin graft viable offspring
b of a fetus : having attained such form and development of organs as to be normally capable of surviving outside the uterus a 26-week old viable fetus
c : capable of growing or developing viable seeds viable eggs
2a : capable of working, functioning, or developing adequately viable alternatives
b : capable of existence and development as an independent unit The colony is now a viable state.
c(1) : having a reasonable chance of succeeding a viable candidate
(2) : financially sustainable a viable enterprise
Other Words from viable Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about viable

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from viable

viably \ ˈvÄ«-​É™-​blÄ“ How to pronounce viably (audio) \ adverb

Examples of viable in a Sentence

The departure point for a viable peace deal—either with Syria or the Palestinians—must not be based purely on what the political traffic in Israel will bear, but on the requirements of all sides. — Aaron David Miller, Newsweek, 12 Jan. 2009 As gene therapy begins to enjoy some preliminary successes, scientists at the World Anti-Doping Agency, which oversees drug testing for the Olympics, have started to worry that dopers might now see abuse of gene therapy in sport as a viable option, though the practice was banned by WADA in 2003. — Patrick Barry, Science News, 2 Aug. 2008 Under today's forest management practices, few trees die natural deaths and fewer still attain the girth of the old-growth trees that supported the ivory-bill. The sad fact is that there is really no place in the United States today where a viable population of ivory-bills could persist even if captive reared birds were on hand to stock a release program. — John Terborgh, New York Review of Books, 26 Apr. 2007 To ponder [John] Updike's work in now old-fashioned sociopolitical terms, it might be said that he examines our struggle to maintain a viable center for our inner life while enduring the most revolutionary force in history—American capitalism. — Robert Stone, New York Times Book Review, 18 June 2006 At stake is the survival of our civilization and the habitability of the Earth. Or, as one eminent scientist put it, the pending question is whether the combination of an opposable thumb and a neocortex is a viable combination on this planet. — Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, 2006 When a patient agrees to forego a bed at the Portland VA—so far 75% of viable candidates have agreed to do so—a small "strike force" swings into action. The patient is sent home, typically with various medicines, oxygen tanks, and sometimes, a mobile X-ray machine. A nurse visits every day to perform tests, provide IV infusions and monitor medications. As a backup, a physician is on 24-hour standby for emergencies. — Gautam Naik, Wall Street Journal, 19 Apr. 2006 Another truth is that corks expire with age. A few wineries recognize that fact and recork their library wines every 25 years or so, but that's not a viable process for most collectors. — James Laube, Wine Spectator, 31 Mar. 2005 a viable solution to the problem He could not suggest a viable alternative. Is she a viable candidate?
See More

Recent Examples on the Web

 The next few years will tell us if monoclonal antibodies are still a viable option. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Progress in understanding Alzheimer’s disease genetics, hope remains for drugs in testing," 2 Sep. 2019 The more prudent approach is to pick among the superabundance of different viable options at the position. — Adam Ronis, SI.com, "When is it Safe to Select Colts QB Andrew Luck in Fantasy Drafts?," 23 Aug. 2019 But new tech has turned the funky predecessor to the helicopter into a viable option for our flying car future. — Aarian Marshall, WIRED, "Uber’s $5 Billion Loss, Boeing’s 787 Trouble, and More Car News," 19 Aug. 2019 While there’s a nostalgia factor that attracts a solid base of regulars, introducing a service charge or drastically raising prices to keep up with rising costs is not a viable option, Vega said. — Los Angeles Times, "Why it’s harder than ever to run a restaurant in Los Angeles," 15 Aug. 2019 Also, 6-foot-4 redshirt junior target John Mitchell is a viable option after a standout spring, and 6-foot-3 redshirt senior Tavaris Harrison presents another experienced returner. — David Furones, sun-sentinel.com, "FAU confident it can replace last year’s skill-position production," 5 Aug. 2019 Even so, today's news will likely drive thousands of new eyes to Mixer, which may be the tipping point needed for other streamers to consider dumping the crowded world of Twitch in favor of Mixer as a viable money-making option. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Ninja’ed: Microsoft swipes top game-streamer from Amazon’s Twitch," 1 Aug. 2019 There’s very little space between the keys, which was probably the only viable option for the trackpad functionality. — Sam Byford, The Verge, "This hybrid keyboard-trackpad is almost a great iPad mouse solution," 1 Aug. 2019 With Daylight Saving Time, skiing after work is finally a viable option, but no one told the lifties. — James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, "Why You Should Ski Uphill This Spring," 29 Apr. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'viable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of viable

circa 1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for viable

French, from Middle French, from vie life, from Latin vita — more at vital

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for viable

viable

adjective
How to pronounce viable (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of viable

: capable of being done or used
: capable of succeeding
technical : capable of living or of developing into a living thing

See the full definition for viable in the English Language Learners Dictionary

viable

adjective
vi·​a·​ble | \ ˈvÄ«-É™-bÉ™l How to pronounce viable (audio) \

Kids Definition of viable

1 : capable of living or growing viable seeds
2 : possible to use or apply a viable plan

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!