acceptable

adjective

ik-ˈsep-tə-bəl How to pronounce acceptable (audio)
Definition of acceptablenext
as in adequate
of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards told the bike rental man that a ten-speed with four broken gears was not acceptable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of acceptable While comfortable clothing makes sense, only 1% thought pajamas were acceptable on planes. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 Once-acceptable gendered terms, such as mankind and stewardess, have been replaced with alternatives. — Jo MacKiewicz, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026 Reddington appeared to scoff each time Mack said it and had to push him to answer the questions, finally not taking that response as acceptable. — Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2026 When implemented on its own with no change in monetary policy, there is a possibility that Operation Twist can succeed temporarily, but only if market players agree that the moves engineered in rates are roughly acceptable. — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acceptable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acceptable
  1. adequate
  2. satisfactory
  3. decent
  4. fine
  5. good
  6. OK
Adjective
  • Asked why the public should trust internal auditing as an adequate replacement for public oversight, given that many agencies allowed their own officers’ conduct to go unchecked for years, Flock did not respond.
    — Kenny Jacoby, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Whether through psychological detachment, restorative activities like sauna, or adequate sleep, recovery protects the capacities leaders need to operate effectively.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of adequate
Adjective
  • For the city, the move represents a satisfactory but temporary solution to a months-long dispute over the market’s location that came to a head last week.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But Olson cautioned people that investigations don’t guarantee a satisfactory outcome for consumers.
    — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of satisfactory
Adjective
  • There was a time when getting a decent electric dirt bike meant spending serious money.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In the Arabic-speaking pic, Barhom stars as Hichem, a customs officer on the Algerian-Tunisian border, who tries to provide a decent life for his wife Leila and little daughter Zineb.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of decent
Adjective
  • Spray cooling covers a surface with fine droplets that absorb heat and evaporate.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Now, some of the restaurants carrying that distinction are also questioning the conventions that have come to define fine dining.
    — Carinne Geil Botta, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of fine
Adjective
  • Best Amazon End-of-Season Patio Furniture Deals The end-of-season patio furniture deals at Amazon are too good to pass up.
    — Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Grichuk put a good swing on a slider while flying out to left field.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of good
Adjective
  • The brown one’s okay, but purple — looking royal — that’d be nice.
    — Maria Bamford, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But getting to these moments means being okay with being confused, and that’s because season 2 really ratchets up the complexity primarily by introducing a whole bunch of new characters, most of whom are variants of existing ones.
    — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of OK

Browse Nearby Words

acceptability
acceptable
acceptably
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Cite this Entry

“Acceptable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acceptable. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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