acceptable

adjective

ik-ˈsep-tə-bəl How to pronounce acceptable (audio)
Definition of acceptablenext
as in adequate
of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards told the bike rental man that a ten-speed with four broken gears was not acceptable

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 acceptable Different people have different opinions about what is and isn’t acceptable, safe behavior for an AI model. — Chris Stokel-Walker, Scientific American, 6 Oct. 2026 Benzene levels spiked over 110 parts per billion in one kitchen — 14 times higher than the maximum California considers acceptable for one hour. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 Then again, Samantha’s age in the text effectively kicks her out of acceptable ranges for a YA novel, which typically features main characters between twelve and eighteen years old. — Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026 The technology is still generally slower and can produce visible flashing or ghosting during certain transitions, which is perfectly acceptable for turning pages or reading a document. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acceptable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acceptable
  1. adequate
  2. satisfactory
  3. decent
  4. fine
  5. good
  6. OK
Adjective
  • For Americans in rural communities, getting adequate health treatment has often been an uphill battle.
    — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Those criteria include having an adequate footprint, ground seismology and access to large quantities of water.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of adequate
Adjective
  • After months of negotiations failed to yield a satisfactory agreement, the union approved strike action earlier this month in a vote held in tandem with unions at the Brooklyn Museum and American Folk Art Museum.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The effort displayed by Kansas’ 14 men’s basketball players at Bill Self’s 24th annual Boot Camp proved satisfactory to the Hall of Fame Jayhawks coach.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of satisfactory
Adjective
  • While the price can be inhibiting for some — with chef pants priced as high as $190 and jackets as much as $210, the price of a decent knife or other cooking tools — Argoti feels the heavy usage justifies the cost for him.
    — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The other was a decent man constantly being tormented by God in order to test his faith.
    — Chuck Lorre, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of decent
Adjective
  • Thinner fibers would allow researchers to embed more sensing elements into garments, potentially capturing finer details of body movement.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The new songs on Live at Carnegie Hall are some of Winter’s very finest.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of fine
Adjective
  • Lucy’s constant sense of invention sometimes falters under the album’s new, megawatt spotlight, lacking the enticing mystery that gives their best music its power.
    — H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Among those surveyed, Latinos who didn’t vote in 2024 were more likely than those who had voted to have economic frustrations, like struggling to earn enough money or find a good job.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of good
Adjective
  • Sometimes there isn’t enough time, mental, emotional, or physical capacity to take on another commitment, and that’s okay, too.
    — Jasmine Johnson, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Happily, Aesha’s mom is ten years sober, and everyone is okay.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of OK

Browse Nearby Words

acceptability
acceptable
acceptably
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Cite this Entry

“Acceptable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acceptable. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

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