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
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Examples of AMENABLE

  1. 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

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
First Known Use: 1596

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>.

Rhymes with AMENABLE

AMENABLE 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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