Since "incalculable" is a dramatic, passionate word, the opposite, "calculable," is rational and logical. It's the precise, semi-common, slightly awkward-sounding word to pick when you want to call special attention to how something can, in fact, be tallied up or predicted with accuracy. Check out the example below from the Wall Street Journal: it shows how you can use the word "calculable" to basically grab people and say, "You can do the math! You can solve this problem!"

You might talk about a calculable risk, a calculable effect or impact, or a calculable value or return on your investment (whether you'd invested money, time, effort, hope, or something else). Or more specifically, you might talk about a calculable number, amount, speed, distance, weight, chance, probability, etc.

"Bridges, roads, dams and other public works decay at a steady rate. The need for new infrastructure to support population growth is readily calculable. Rather than going on periodic spending binges, Congress should decide what percentage of gross domestic product to invest year in and year out."
   — David Siegel, Wall Street Journal, 18 June 2018

"It may appear to you that the wills and passions of mankind are so diverse and unknowable, that it would be absurd to suppose that they can be calculated, or rendered amenable to any law. But... in proportion as we examine history, and compare the actions present and past of different nations and states, the more uniform does human nature appear; the more calculable the actions, sentiments, and emotions of large masses of people."  
   — P. Hampson, The Romance of Mathematics, 1886

has this page helped you understand "calculable"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "calculable" without saying "computable" or "quantifiable."

try it out:

In 1921, when Russians were starving, Herbert Hoover (then the Secretary of Commerce) sent them corn.

It was a humanitarian move. But at least one person criticized him for it:

In a famine men cease to be individuals. They can not say, "I never ate corn. I do not know how to cook corn. I do not like corn." They behave in perfectly calculable ways. So many calories, oxidization; so much energy.

Conceive a society in which results were always calculable: so many men, so much fuel, so much consequent horsepower, and Mr. Hoover would make for it an admirable benevolent dictator; for he is benevolent. 

Can you explain what it means for people to behave in "perfectly calculable ways"—and why this critic said it so sarcastically? Do you think the critic's point is a fair one, and why or why not?

If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.)

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for January: "Is That a Real Word?"

In each issue, I’ll give you three, um, written phenomena. You decide if each is a real word—and most importantly—why or why not. If someone were to dispute your judgment, how would you defend it? For fun, try comparing your responses with a companion’s. And if you like, you can compare yours with mine, which I’ll list at the bottom of the issue.

Try these today:  Out of "confab," "firstable," and "yeet," which, if any, are real words?

review this word:

1. The precise opposite of CALCULABLE is INCALCULABLE. But a pretty close opposite of CALCULABLE is

A. IMPROPER.
B. INESTIMABLE.
C. INDISPUTABLE.

2. The _____ attempted to put a calculable _____.

A. "Three-Fifths Clause" .. value on an enslaved person's right to be represented
B. slogan "Fifty-four forty or fight!" .. alliteration into the rhythm of manifest destiny
C. election of 1860 .. responsibility on states, not the federal government, to banish slavery

Answers to the review questions: 1. B 2. A Let's compare notes from the game: I say they're all real words! "Confab:" Do you hate this slangy abbreviation? Me, too! It sounds terrible! But it's a real word, with OED citations dating back to 1701. "Firstable:" Years ago, I tutored a first grader who opened her handwritten paragraph with this word. I loved it. Yeah, I did show her how to write "First of all," but I never forgot the adorableness of "firstable." Technically speaking, it's an eggcorn: a mistake that makes its own kind of sense. My little student wasn't the first to write it, and won't be the last. Plus, I understood exactly what she meant by it. I say it's a word. "Yeet:" It's a popular slangy word! Urban Dictionary offers many official definitions, my favorite being this one: "[to] apply 80%+ of the relative maximum possible impulse to an object upon propelling it from your hands."

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.