available

available — adjective

1. If something is available, you can get it, buy it, or use it when you want or ne

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

If something is available, you can get it, buy it, or use it when you want or need it.

Example

Fresh strawberries are only available in the summer at our local market.

available + in + season/place

The new iPhone will be available in stores from next Friday.

future tense: will be available

Common collocations
  • readily available
  • widely available
  • commercially available
  • available in stores
  • available online
Synonyms
  • obtainable

    more formal; emphasises that effort may be needed to get the item

  • accessible

    stresses ease of reaching or using, often for places or services

  • on offer

    informal; common in shops and ads, suggests something is currently being sold

Antonyms
  • unavailable

    the direct opposite; cannot be bought, used, or found

  • sold out

    specifically for products no longer in stock

Grammar Patterns

available + to + person

available + in + place/form

available + for + purpose

Usage Note

Subject is usually a thing, product, or service. Distinguish from sense 2, where the subject is a person who is free to talk or help.

Common Mistakes

The book is available with the library.
The book is available at the library.
use 'at' for locations and 'from' for sources, not 'with'.
This shoes are available in size 8 only.
These shoes are available in size 8 only.
match plural subject with 'these'.

2. If a person is available, they have free time and can meet, talk, or do somethin

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

If a person is available, they have free time and can meet, talk, or do something for you.

Example

Dr. Eitan is not available this afternoon, but she can see you on Thursday.

negative: not available + time phrase

Are you available to join our team meeting at three o'clock?

available + to-infinitive

Common collocations
  • available to talk
  • available to meet
  • available for comment
  • available on request
  • make oneself available
Synonyms
  • free

    more informal; common in everyday speech about personal time

  • reachable

    stresses that someone can be contacted, often by phone or message

  • on hand

    suggests being physically present and ready to help

Antonyms
  • busy

    the most natural everyday opposite when talking about people

  • unavailable

    more formal; common in scheduling or work contexts

  • tied up

    informal; suggests being temporarily stuck with another task

Grammar Patterns

available + to-infinitive

available + for + activity

available + on + day/time

Usage Note

Subject is a person (or sometimes their schedule). Often used in workplace, medical, or service contexts. Distinguish from sense 1, where the subject is a thing or product.

Common Mistakes

Are you available for help me with this?
Are you available to help me with this?
use the to-infinitive after 'available' when introducing an action.
I am not available in tomorrow.
I am not available tomorrow.
no preposition needed before single time words like 'tomorrow' or 'today'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something a person can get hold of, but they differ in tone and focus. 'Available' is the everyday choice and works for products, services, information, and people. 'Obtainable' is more formal and often hints that some effort is needed: 'These rare coins are obtainable only through specialist dealers.' 'Accessible' shifts the focus to ease of reaching or using something, especially places, websites, or services for people with disabilities: 'The museum is fully accessible by wheelchair.' 'On offer' is informal and common in shops or ads, suggesting something is being actively presented for sale: 'A wide range of desserts is on offer at the café today.' When in doubt, 'available' is the safest neutral pick.

available ↗obtainableaccessible ↗on offer

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • readily available
  • widely available
  • make available
  • become available
  • no longer available

Prepositions

  • available to
  • available for
  • available from
  • available at
  • available in
  • available on

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Available' came into English in the late 1400s, formed from 'avail' (meaning 'to be of use' or 'to help') plus the suffix '-able' (meaning 'capable of'). 'Avail' itself traces back through Old French to the Latin verb 'valere', which meant 'to be strong' or 'to be worth something'. The earliest meaning was closer to 'effective' or 'valid', as in a legal document. The modern senses — 'able to be obtained' and 'free to meet' — only became common in the 1800s.