all right

1 of 2

adjective

1
: satisfactory, agreeable
Whatever you decide is all right with me.
2
: safe, well
He was ill but he's all right now.
3
informal : good, pleasing
often used as a generalized term of approval
an all right guy
all right or alright?: Usage Guide

Although the spelling alright is more than a century and a half old, some critics have insisted alright is all wrong. Nevertheless, it has its defenders and its users, who perhaps have been influenced by analogy with altogether and already. Alright is less common than all right but is frequently found in informal writing and fictional dialogue.

Starting at a slower pace is perfectly alright. Alia Haley
"Alright, it is a bargain. I will help you." Harold Bell Wright

It is sometimes also used in more formal writing.

The first two years of the medical school were alright. Gertrude Stein

all right

2 of 2

adverb

1
: beyond doubt : certainly
She has pneumonia all right.
2
used interjectionally especially to express agreement or resignation or to indicate the resumption of a discussion
All right, we can do that if you want.
All right, let's go.
3
: well enough : satisfactorily
He does all right in school.

Examples of all right in a Sentence

Adjective The quality of his work is all right but not outstanding. Her first movie was pretty bad but her second one was all right. Is it all right to leave early? Is this movie all right for children? He was very sick but now he's all right again. “Are you hurt?” “No, I'm all right.” She was upset when her boyfriend left, but she's all right now. Adverb She does all right in school. The engine was sputtering when I started it, but it's running all right now. “How's your father?” “He was pretty sick, but he's doing all right now.”
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Or who doesn't want to just feel good about trying some s**t and making a mistake and still being all right. Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025 Sports gambling is all right out in the open now and while, thankfully, no major league players have succumbed, when Rose died, Manfred had his opening to rid himself of the case by decreeing that lifetime bans expire upon a player’s death — and dumping it back to the Hall of Fame. Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025 Listen to this article Booth be told? Calvin’s kids were all right. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 16 May 2025 Amina called her husband to check if everything was all right. Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for all right

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1652, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of all right was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“All right.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all%20right. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

all right

1 of 2 adjective
1
: satisfactory, correct
it is all right with me
2
: safe entry 1 sense 1, well
he was sick but he's all right now

all right

2 of 2 adverb
1
: very well : yes
all right, I'll come
used as an interjection especially to show agreement or acceptance or to show the continuation of a discussion
2
: beyond doubt : certainly
that's the one all right
3
: reasonably well
does all right in school

More from Merriam-Webster on all right

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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