Amenable — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ə-ˈmē-nə-bəl/ ame·na·ble

Meaning & Definition of Amenable

Amenable (adjective)

  1. having or showing willingness to agree or to accept something that is wanted or asked for —usually used with to
  2. readily yielding, submitting, or cooperating —usually used with to
  3. able to be controlled, organized, or affected by something —usually used with to

Amenable (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having a desire or inclination (as for a specified course of action)

    "whatever you decide to do, I'm amenable—just let me know"

    similar: disposed, fain, game, glad, inclined, minded, ready, willing
    related: predisposed, prone, accommodating, agreeable, compliant, cooperative, obedient, obliging, submissive, favorable, receptive, prepared, prompt, quick, responsive, swift, desirous, eager, enthused, enthusiastic, excited
    opposite: disinclined, unamenable, unwilling
    near: averse, loath, reluctant, reticent

  2. readily giving in to the command or authority of another

    "our normally balky cat becomes the most amenable of creatures when confronted with the strange environment of the veterinary clinic"

    similar: biddable, compliant, conformable, docile, law-abiding, obedient, submissive, tractable
    related: acquiescent, agreeable, amiable, duteous, dutiful, obliging, placable, soft, surrendering, yielding, fawning, kowtowing, obeisant, obsequious, servile, slavish, subordinate, subservient, decorous, disciplined, mannerly, orderly, constrained, curbed, inhibited, repressed, restrained, controllable, disciplinable, governable, handleable, manageable, tame, teachable, trainable, gentle, meek, mild
    opposite: balky, contrary, contumacious, defiant, disobedient, froward, incompliant, insubordinate, intractable, noncompliant, obstreperous, rebel, rebellious, recalcitrant, refractory, restive, unamenable, ungovernable, unruly, untoward, wayward, willful
    near: insurgent, mutinous, dogged, hardheaded, headstrong, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, peevish, pigheaded, self-willed, stubborn, unyielding, uncontrollable, unmanageable, wild, balky, defiant, perverse, resistant, bad, disorderly, errant, misbehaving, mischievous, naughty, ill-bred, undisciplined, dissident, nonconformist, disrespectful, ill-mannered, impolite, impudent, insolent, rude

  3. being the one who must meet an obligation or suffer the consequences for failing to do so

    "even our nation's highest leaders must remain amenable to the law"

    similar: accountable, answerable, liable, responsible
    related: beholden, indebted, obligated, obliged
    opposite: irresponsible, nonaccountable, unaccountable
    near: exempt, immune

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Amenable

The most common words with a similar meaning to Amenable:

disposed, fain, game, glad, inclined, minded, ready, willing, biddable, compliant, conformable, docile, law-abiding, obedient, submissive, tractable, accountable, answerable, liable, responsible

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Amenable

Words with the opposite meaning of Amenable:

disinclined, unamenable, unwilling, balky, contrary, contumacious, defiant, disobedient, froward, incompliant, insubordinate, intractable, noncompliant, obstreperous, rebel, rebellious, recalcitrant, refractory, restive, ungovernable, unruly, untoward, wayward, willful, irresponsible, nonaccountable, unaccountable

Related Words for Amenable

predisposed, prone, accommodating, agreeable, cooperative, obliging, favorable, receptive, prepared, prompt, quick, responsive, swift, desirous, eager, enthused, enthusiastic, excited, acquiescent, amiable, duteous, dutiful, placable, soft, surrendering, yielding, fawning, kowtowing, obeisant, obsequious

Near Antonyms of Amenable

averse, loath, reluctant, reticent, insurgent, mutinous, dogged, hardheaded, headstrong, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, peevish, pigheaded, self-willed, stubborn, unyielding, uncontrollable, unmanageable, wild, perverse, resistant, bad, disorderly, errant, misbehaving, mischievous, naughty, ill-bred, undisciplined

Word Forms of Amenable

Derived words: amenability (noun), amenably (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Amenable

borrowed from Anglo-French, from amener "to bring, bring to a court (as witnesses, pledges), summon, take, lead" (also continental Old French) (from a- —going back to Latin ad- ad-— + mener "to lead, bring") + able -able demean:2

First known use: circa 1599

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Amenable

Frequently Asked Questions about Amenable

What does "Amenable" mean?

"Amenable" means having or showing willingness to agree or to accept something that is wanted or asked for —usually used with to. As an adjective, it is defined as: having or showing willingness to agree or to accept something that is wanted or asked for —usually used with to. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Amenable"?

Other words for "Amenable" include disposed, fain, game, glad, inclined, minded, ready and willing. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Amenable" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Amenable"?

There are 78 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Amenable". Common alternatives include disposed, fain, game, glad, inclined, minded, ready, willing, biddable and compliant.

What is the opposite of "Amenable"?

Antonyms of "Amenable" include disinclined, unamenable, unwilling, balky, contrary, contumacious, defiant and disobedient. Near antonyms include averse, loath, reluctant and reticent.

How do you use "Amenable" in a sentence?

Examples of "Amenable" in a sentence: "whatever you decide to do, I'm amenable—just let me know"; "our normally balky cat becomes the most amenable of creatures when confronted with the strange environment of the veterinary clinic"; "even our nation's highest leaders must remain amenable to the law".

Is "Amenable" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Amenable" is an adjective.

Is "Amenable" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Amenable" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Amenable"?

"Amenable" is pronounced /ə-ˈmē-nə-bəl/ and divided into syllables as ame·na·ble.