Appealable describes something that can be challenged in a court of law or reviewed on appeal. The term is legal in tone but also appears in general contexts to indicate grounds for revisiting a decision. It carries a formal, procedural nuance, signaling that persuasion or error-correction on a ruling is possible and legitimate.
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"The judge ruled that the evidence was insufficient, making the ruling appealable."
"The defense argued that the conviction was based on an error of law, rendering the decision appealable."
"Many administrative decisions are appealable to a higher tribunal."
"Only a few portions of the ruling were appealable, not the entire judgment."
Appealable derives from the noun appeal + the suffix -able, forming an adjective meaning ‘able to be appealed.’ The word appeal itself comes from Old French apeler (to call) from Latin appellare (to name, to call upon), combining ad- (toward) and pellere (to push, drive). In English, ‘appeal’ evolved from the sense of a legal application to review a judgment to broader senses of attracting interest or desiring sympathy. The legal sense, central to modern usage, emerged in the medieval English legal system, gaining prominence as appellate courts developed to correct error, ensure due process, and supervise lower courts. The adjective form appeared by the 16th–17th centuries as jurisdictions formalized procedures, with early uses tied to cases that could be reviewed or overturned on appeal. Over time, ‘appealable’ broadened beyond strictly legal contexts to describe anything with grounds for reconsideration, even in administrative or organizational decisions. First known uses appear in legal writings of the early modern period, with the term becoming common in contemporary law dictionaries and formal discourse. In current usage, its form remains consistent across varieties of English, consistently indicating the potential for reversal upon appeal.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "appealable" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "appealable" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "appealable"
-ble sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as ə-PEE-lə-bəl (US/UK/AU share the same pattern). The primary stress is on the second syllable: /əˈpiːləbl/. Start with a weak initial schwa, then a long ‘ee’ vowel for the second syllable, followed by a light 'l' and a reduced final 'bəl'. Mouth position: lips relaxed, tip of the tongue close to the alveolar ridge for /piː/ and a light, almost d’-like start to the final /bl/. Audio references: you can hear this pattern in dictionary pronunciations on Cambridge/Oxford; try listening to Forvo entries for appealable and its derivatives.
Common errors: misplacing the stress (asserting AP-peal-able), shortening the middle vowel, or compressing the final -able into an 'uh' sound. Correction: keep the primary stress on the second syllable /piː/ and ensure the final -ble reduces to /bl/ with a schwa-like ending /ə/ or a light /əl/. Practice by isolating /piːl/ sequences, then add the final /əbl/ quickly but clearly so the 'l' and 'b' are audible. Listen to native readings to internalize the rhythm.
US/UK/AU share /əˈpiːləbl/, with subtle variations: US tends to a slightly longer /iː/ and a quicker, flatter final /bl/, UK may include a marginally wider vowel in /iː/ and crisper /l/; Australian often shows a more centralized vowel in the first syllable and a softer final /l/ due to non-rhotic tendencies in casual speech. All retain primary stress on the second syllable. IPA remains /əˈpiːləbl/ across dialects, but vowel length and quality shift slightly by region.
Three challenges: the initial weak syllable /ə/ can blur in rapid speech; the long /iː/ in the second syllable requires precise tongue height; and the final cluster /bl/ after a schwa can be tricky to keep distinct in fluent speech. Practice by isolating each segment: /ə/ then /ˈpiː/ with lip rounding neutral, then /lə/ with a light, quick /l/ and /ə/ before the final /bl/. Consistent practice with minimal pairs helps stabilize the rhythm.
A unique point is the placement and realization of the second syllable vowel; many non-native speakers default to a short /ɪ/ or reduce it toward /i/. Keep it as a clear /iː/ in /piː/ and maintain even rhythm so the word doesn’t slide into ‘appeal-’ as a single unit. The stress window is fixed on the second syllable; maintaining that leak-free, stressed nucleus helps intelligibility in both formal and legal contexts.
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