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
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.
In his short stint in Scranton, that number has come down a hair, but still resides at an unacceptable 29.4%. Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025 Republicans were more evenly split, with 38% calling it unacceptable and 32% labeling it as acceptable. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 22 July 2025 Clearly, the line the editorial board is trying to draw between acceptable and unacceptable social media use is murky at best. Chicago Tribune, 22 July 2025 Mistakes should not be viewed as failures or unacceptable setbacks, but rather as calculated risks—necessary steps in the iterative journey of progress. Davide Sartini, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for unacceptable

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

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Cite this Entry

“Unacceptable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unacceptable. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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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