unacceptable

adjective

ˌən-ik-ˈsep-tə-bəl How to pronounce unacceptable (audio)
Definition of unacceptablenext
as in wrong
falling short of a standard this work is entirely unacceptable

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 unacceptable My behavior at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026 Still, only 28% of readers said that AI use is unacceptable in all of the circumstances presented by the survey. — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026 Intervene Intervene means several signals—or one sufficiently consequential event—indicate probable deterioration or unacceptable outcomes. — Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 The plan is to then gradually introduce louder sounds, Coen added, to discover the level at which a sonic boom noise goes from being acceptable to unacceptable. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unacceptable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unacceptable
  1. wrong
  2. poor
  3. lame
  4. bad
  5. horrible
  6. terrible
  7. deficient
  8. awful
Adjective
  • Remember, taking the wrong benefit at the wrong time is always smaller and forever.
    — Thomas Hager, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Therefore, therapy should do more than help people identify what’s wrong with their relationships.
    — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • Dozens of companies have withdrawn over the past decades due to poor profits, an uncertain business outlook and concerns about harm to their reputations from making arms, especially lethal weapons.
    — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Along the way, the audience can expect tons of humiliation, terrible second prizes, and the guarantee that Robertson will turn at least one poor soul's wrong turn into several minutes of unhinged public destruction.
    — Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • But between now, November and the lame-duck period, there’s still time to pass legislation before election results shake things up.
    — Washington Post Opinions, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Payton seemed awfully pleased with himself for his lame dad joke.
    — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of lame
Adjective
  • Poor Anton has been left out of the drama all day, an effort by Billie and Samir to prevent an already bad futzing from escalating to something severe, and that’s never where Anton likes to be.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Although rarely seen, its reemergence earlier this summer is a signal of how bad the region’s ongoing drought has gotten, as well as a warning for the difficult months ahead.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
  • These two rubber bands in our throat are affected by everything from hormones to psychology to a bad day to a horrible night’s sleep to the sniffles or whatever.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • But even without it, there seems to be some truth to the idea that if these teams were terrible businesses, they wouldn’t be sold for billions of dollars.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Not by tightening the siege on Iran directly, but by tightening the siege on those who help this regime, this terrible dictatorship.
    — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • Yet researchers have found that nearly a third of adults in the United States are iron deficient.
    — Anahad O’Connor, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In a deficient area, the exception is exposed, and to last, the exception must be exceptional somewhere else.
    — Zach Berman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of deficient
Adjective
  • Cyber stocks late last year and into 2026 were being lumped into the awful enterprise software trade.
    — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
  • In 2024, Burke’s squad dragged itself off the mat after an awful (yet at the time, typical) start to the season to go unbeaten in 12 of 13 matches down the stretch and narrowly miss the playoffs.
    — Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of awful

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unacceptability
unacceptable
unacceptably
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Cite this Entry

“Unacceptable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unacceptable. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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