believable
adj.seeming like it could be true or real. You use this to describe a story, an excuse, or a character that you can trust or imagine actually happening.
adj.capable of being accepted as true, real, or credible. Often used to evaluate the quality of a narrative or the sincerity of a person's claims.
“The actor gives a very believable performance.”
“The witness provided a believable account of the events, which helped the jury reach a quick decision.”
“While the plot of the novel is somewhat far-fetched, the protagonist's emotional journey remains entirely believable due to the author's nuanced understanding of human grief.”
Often follows linking verbs like 'seem', 'sound', or 'look'.
The silent 'e' at the end of 'believe' is dropped before adding the suffix '-able'.
From Middle English bilevable, beleevable, equivalent to believe + -able.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.