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
Alia Haley
"Alright, it is a bargain. I will help you."
—Harold Bell Wright
Harold Bell Wright
It is sometimes also used in more formal writing.
The first two years of the medical school were alright.
—Gertrude Stein
Gertrude Stein
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
Chris Willman, Variety, 26 Oct. 2025
The Castle Rock kid is all right.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 Oct. 2025
Some of her research comprises little more than yearbooks’ blooper reels, and that’s all right by me.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Scherzer stepped on it, all right.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for all right
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Usually the artist will feel obligated to give the audience a breather with at least a couple songs that deal with something other than the central rupture, or which flash forward to assure everyone that the singer is doing all right and healing up, thank you, post-split.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 26 Oct. 2025
The Castle Rock kid is all right.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 25 Oct. 2025
Some of her research comprises little more than yearbooks’ blooper reels, and that’s all right by me.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Scherzer stepped on it, all right.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for all right
Video
Alright vs. All Right
Is 'alright' all right?
Cite this Entry
“All right.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all%20right. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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