WordGarden.iolivable
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /lˈɪvəbəl/
US
- /ˈlɪvəbəl/
Meanings
Adjective
suitable or comfortable enough to live in
providing enough money to live on
worth living or bearable enough to endure
Beyond the definition
Something that's livable is not just standing up with four walls and a roof. It feels like a place where a person could really live day to day. A tiny apartment might be livable if it is clean, safe, and has the basics, while a huge house with a leaking roof might not be. The idea is not only shelter, but also a reasonable level of comfort.
The word suggests more than bare survival. You might describe a city as "livable" if it has good schools, parks, safe streets, and housing people can afford. Those are the kinds of things that make everyday life feel possible and pleasant. A cave might give shelter, but most people would not call it livable.
"Livable" describes something that is suitable or comfortable enough for people to live in. It goes beyond simply being habitable, which can mean only that it provides basic shelter, and suggests a level of quality that supports normal daily life.
You might hear "livable conditions" when people talk about housing, referring to things like heat, water, working plumbing, and safety. A landlord who ignores serious repairs may be creating unlivable conditions for tenants. But "livable" is not limited to buildings or rooms.
The word can also be used more broadly for a place or situation that allows a good everyday life. For example, you might say "This city is very livable," meaning it has things like parks, public services, reasonable housing, and a pleasant atmosphere. In some contexts, people also say "a livable wage," meaning pay that covers basic needs and allows some comfort, though "living wage" is often more common in that use.
The related idea of "livability" often appears in discussions of city planning, housing, and public policy. There, it refers to creating places that are safe, practical, affordable, and pleasant to live in. So when something is described as livable, it is not just a place where life is possible. It is a place where ordinary life can work reasonably well.
Examples
- 1
Apartment
The apartment is small, but it is clean, warm, and livable.
- 2
Flood damage
After the flood, it took months to make the house livable again.
- 3
City planning
Good buses and safe sidewalks make a city more livable.
- 4
Home renovation
The basement could become livable space if we add windows and proper heating.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Wages
Everyone who works full-time should earn a livable wage.
- Phraselivable wage
enough money to pay for basic needs
- 6
Difficult schedule
The schedule is exhausting, but with shorter shifts it might be livable.
See also
Similar
- habitable
- fit to live in
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- unlivable
- uninhabitable
Used with (collocations)
- livable city
- livable neighborhood
- livable conditions
Word family
- livability
Explore
- quality of life
- housing standards
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- livableadjective