WordValescalable
able to grow without a matching rise in costs
In more detail
1. (adjective) able to be increased or reduced in size, amount, or scope without major changes
2. (adjective) designed so that a system or business can grow and handle more work easily
Examples
- 1. The recipe is scalable—you can make it for 2 people or 20 people.
- 2. They built a scalable software system that can support millions of users as the company grows.
How to use scalable
Scalable is commonly used in technology, business, and systems contexts to describe something that can grow or change in capacity without requiring complete redesign. It emphasizes efficiency and flexibility for future expansion. While synonyms like flexible and adaptable are broader, scalable specifically implies growth potential and proportional handling of increased demand.
Common phrases
- scalable solution
- scalable infrastructure
- scalable business model
- highly scalable
- scalable design
- scalable system
Synonyms
expandable · flexible · adaptable · adjustable · modular
Opposites
rigid · fixed · inflexible
Word family
scale (noun/verb) · scalability (noun) · scalably (adverb)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use scalable to mean 'large' or 'impressive in scope' when it actually refers to the capacity to grow or be adjusted, not the current size.
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