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 Only half of respondents now consider one to two weeks an acceptable delivery window, down from 85% in the 2025 survey. — Jamie Garverick, Fortune, 15 July 2026 Lead concentrations exceeded the acceptable threshold in 14 of 64 soil samples, the state audit reported. — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026 However, in some very soft-water areas, tap water may be acceptable. — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 14 July 2026 This allows LLMs to produce output deemed acceptable or safe in one context, but not in the real world. — IEEE Spectrum, 14 July 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
  • Today, some of the world’s most critical infrastructure sits on the seabed with far less attention, mostly because adequate tech doesn't exist.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 July 2026
  • Employees didn’t take adequate measures to minimize staff travel costs contrary to state policy.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
Definition of adequate
Adjective
  • The fifth season will have a really hard time wrapping up everything in a satisfactory way at this point.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Kelley said the company believed the existing easement was satisfactory and wasn’t told otherwise until after investing years of work on he project.
    — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026
Definition of satisfactory
Adjective
  • The Crosstrek also has decent off-road capability as a base model and can easily be enhanced with tires or purchased from the factory as a mean off-roading machine (Crosstrek Wilderness).
    — Charles Singh, USA Today, 14 July 2026
  • Insiders added that the power striker, who also is a decent rapper himself, was on his best behavior.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
Definition of decent
Adjective
  • The 40-year-old goalkeeper, who only turned professional aged 25, helped Cape Verde hold the European champions to a goalless draw with a string of fine saves.
    — Tom Burrows, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • This is common when the sensor gets a coating of fine dust on it.
    — Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2026
Definition of fine
Adjective
  • From here, the Manchester City defender sprints into the six-yard box to meet the corner, forcing a good save from Dominik Livakovic, with his team-mates unable to scramble the ball over the line.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • Graham, who had turned 71 just two days before passing away on Saturday night, was far younger than many of his Senate colleagues and appeared to have been in good health.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
Definition of good
Adjective
  • Instead, she’s given fans a perfectly okay summer soundtrack.
    — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
  • When Ford was doing an F-150 Lightning, people were okay, electric trucks are happening.
    — Joel Feder, The Drive, 9 July 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 19 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on acceptable

Nglish: Translation of acceptable for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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