Agreeable describes something or someone that is pleasant, pleasing, or easy to agree with. It often refers to a person’s demeanor or to a situation that is favorable or harmoniously inclined. In linguistics, the word carries a gentle, almost inviting connotation, implying warmth and cooperativeness.
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"The team reached an agreeable compromise after hours of discussion."
"Her agreeable manner made the meeting flow smoothly and efficiently."
"The weather was agreeable enough for a picnic, not too hot and not too windy."
"They came to an agreeable arrangement that satisfied everyone involved."
Agreeable derives from the phrase in Old French as 'agreable' which itself comes from the Latin 'ad‑grābilis' meaning 'pleasing, agreeable' formed from ad- 'toward' + grābilis 'pleasing, grateful' (grābilis from grā, a root related to pleasing). The word entered English via Old French during the Middle English period, carrying the sense of something 'capable of gaining assent or compatibility' and gradually shifting to describe persons or things that inspire agreement or are pleasing to the senses. By the 14th century, 'agreeable' was used to denote things that were not just acceptable but agreeable in temperament or aesthetic, and by the 16th–17th centuries the sense broadened to describe social ease and pleasantness in personality. Over time, its usage expanded from direct sensory appeal to general conduciveness to harmony in interactions, keeping the core sense of ease of agreement, harmony, and pleasantness. First known uses appear in Middle English texts borrowing from French, with early attestations in literature that discuss agreeable manners and dispositions in social discourse.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "agreeable" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "agreeable"
-ree sounds
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Agreeable is pronounced /əˈɡriːəbl/ in US and UK English, with primary stress on the second syllable: a-GREE-a-ble. Start with a schwa in the first syllable, then glide into /ɡriː/ as in 'gree,' add a schwa before the final /bl/ cluster, and finish with a light /l/. In careful speech, you might clearly enunciate the final -ble as /əbəl/. Audio reference: imagine saying 'uh-GREE-uh-bəl' with a crisp /ɡ/ and a long /iː/ in the second syllable.
Common errors include misplacing the primary stress or flattening the /iː/ into a short /ɪ/, and conflating the final -able as /-əbəl/ with /-əbəl/ reduction. To correct: emphasize the /ˈɡriː/ portion, keep /iː/ long (not a short /ɪ/), and end with a clear /əl/ or /əl/ after a light /b/. Practice saying ‘uh-GREE-uh-bəl’ slowly, then accelerate while maintaining the long /iː/ and final soft /l/.
In US English, you’ll hear a solid /ɪ/ approaching /iː/ in the second syllable with a rhotic /ɹ/ influence leading to /əˈɡriːəbl/. UK English tends to be non-rhotic in many accents; the /ɹ/ is muted, and vowel quality in /riː/ can be slightly longer with less centering, producing /əˈɡriːəbl/. Australian English largely mirrors US patterns but often with a more centralized schwa in the first syllable and a lighter final syllable; the 'agree' portion still carries the /iː/ and the /bl/ ends clearly. IPA references: US /əˈɡriː.ə.bəl/, UK /əˈɡriː.ə.bəl/, AU /əˈɡriː.ə.bəl/.
The difficulty lies in balancing the vowel length of /iː/, maintaining the secondary /ɡr/ blend smoothly, and producing the final /bəl/ cluster without adding extra syllables. English learners often insert an extra vowel, turning /ɡriːəbl/ into /ɡriː.ə.bl/ or misplace stress on the first syllable. Focus on the sequence /əˈɡriː.ə.bəl/ with crisp consonants and a relaxed but precise end to avoid a rushed or clipped final syllable.
Not typically. In connected speech, native speakers merge the sounds, so you commonly hear /əˈɡriːəbl/ with a smooth transition from /ə/ to /ˈɡriː/ and then /ə.bəl/. A deliberate pause after ‘agree’ is possible in careful speech for emphasis, but it slightly disrupts natural rhythm. The essential feature is the strong secondary stress on the second syllable, with the final /bl/ not fully separable as two syllables in fluent speech.
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