unacceptable

adjective

un·​ac·​cept·​able ˌən-ik-ˈsep-tə-bəl How to pronounce unacceptable (audio)
-ak-
: not acceptable : not pleasing or welcome
unacceptability noun
unacceptably adverb

Examples of unacceptable in a Sentence

a word that is unacceptable in formal English Some of her ideas were unacceptable to other people.
Recent Examples on the Web The behavior is unacceptable, but the emotions are valid. Sharneé Carrington, Parents, 1 Dec. 2023 Often contained in the company policy manual, a code of conduct outlines what is acceptable vs. unacceptable behaviors by their employees. Joyce E. A. Russell, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 Madrid disagreed with Leguizamo that the Univision debacle came down to unacceptable bias. Jack Herrera, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2023 Financial Times - Around half of U.K. employers told job site Indeed that their employees are too casual in the office, wearing unacceptable clothing and sporting unkempt hair. Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2023 The Biden administration’s recent messaging that a move to push Palestinians into Egypt, or even an Israeli reoccupation, would be unacceptable may have given Israelis leaders pause, if only in their public discourse. Joost R. Hiltermann, Foreign Affairs, 22 Nov. 2023 The Biden Administration's decision to pick Maryland instead of Virginia even over the unanimous recommendations of experts is unacceptable. Gregory S. Schneider, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023 Should the war exact an unacceptable toll on the population or should Russia be defeated by Ukraine, these alternatives might succeed where the regime’s ideology-building efforts fall short. Maria Snegovaya, Foreign Affairs, 16 Nov. 2023 Biden administration officials said a buffer zone controlled by Israel inside Gaza would mean shrinking the enclave’s territory, which the White House sees as unacceptable. Anna Schecter, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unacceptable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near unacceptable

Cite this Entry

“Unacceptable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unacceptable. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

unacceptable

adjective
un·​ac·​cept·​able ˌən-ik-ˈsep-tə-bəl How to pronounce unacceptable (audio)
-ak-
: not acceptable : not pleasing or welcome
unacceptably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unacceptable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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