Definition of respectablenext
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as in decent
of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards the artwork that we commissioned from the muralist turned out to be respectable but was not quite what we had hoped for

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 respectable The Malaysian police investigation presented him as a respectable family man, but it was widely deemed inadequate and designed to minimise embarrassment. The Week Uk, TheWeek, 22 Feb. 2026 For many women at the time, teaching offered one of the few respectable professional careers available. Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, The Conversation, 18 Feb. 2026 Range is respectable for the segment, too. New Atlas, 18 Feb. 2026 Berlinale competitor Dust unfolds a didactic parable, written by Angelo Tijssens (Close), that revolves around two outwardly respectable but privately panicking Flemish business partners, Geert (Arieh Worthalter) and Luc (Jan Hammenecker). Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for respectable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for respectable
Adjective
  • Orhorhoro, the Falcons’ second-round draft pick in 2024, grew into a respected presence at Clemson after earning third-team All-ACC honors each of his final two years.
    Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 28 Feb. 2026
  • The Great Mosque in downtown Manbij offered free lessons on Quranic interpretation, and the instructor, Sheikh Abu Saeed al-Dibo, was one of the city’s most respected scholars.
    Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Being conspicuous by his absence is not an honorable action, and will be remembered.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Kramer and Fauci—their honorable disagreements, their curiosity about each other’s worldview, their good-faith debate—were the real show, all along.
    Talya Zax, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The service The staff is efficient, polite, and friendly.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2026
  • This more loosely prescribed tradition stems partly from our big Southern families full of siblings and cousins, as well as partly from how Southerners are polite to a fault—and don’t ever want to leave anyone out.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • There are plenty of bars and pubs in downtown Atlanta, but for those looking to enjoy a decent meal and avoid some of the crowds, check out these eight bars offering good food and great sports viewing vibes around metro Atlanta.
    Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 4 Mar. 2026
  • The 2012 draft brought a decent linebacker in Olivier Vernon and squeezed one 1,00-yard season from running back Lamar Miller.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • But taxing the rich, even those with considerable wealth, in the past has proved both attractive, at least at the outset, and complicated, at least politically.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Naturally, the suspension of training and the closure of airspace are causing considerable stress and concern.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Less than an hour drive from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Knoxville is also home to The University of Tennessee and the prestigious 1982 World’s Fair Park.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Feb. 2026
  • See photos of Chase on the red carpet, his acceptance of the prestigious award, and the on-stage panel that followed the screening.
    Michele Eve Sandberg, Sun Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • November 22 – December 21 Home could feel clearer after one honest chat.
    Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Home could feel clearer after one honest chat.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.
    Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Treating canker diseases can be difficult, but proper care and watering can help.
    Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 5 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Respectable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/respectable. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.

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