Definition of unacceptablenext
as in wrong
falling short of a standard this work is entirely unacceptable

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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 unacceptable That’s unacceptable — regardless of whether the state leans Democrat or Republican. Editorial, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026 One diplomat from the Middle East stressed to us that anything other than a return to the strait’s prewar status of being free and open would be unacceptable. Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 30 Apr. 2026 In doing so, the agencies can incidentally sweep up communications involving Americans who interact with foreign targets, an element of the program many lawmakers find unacceptable. ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026 While disagreeing on the extent of anti-MAPA discrimination, many said any level of bias was unacceptable. Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unacceptable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unacceptable
Adjective
  • Wallace and her collaborators scrambled to get into the water; the whale was swimming in the wrong direction, toward some docks.
    Jessica Camille Aguirre, New Yorker, 2 May 2026
  • What most people get wrong is conflating the theme of the exhibition with the dress code for the evening.
    José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 2 May 2026
Adjective
  • Injuries to key players on the Amazin’s contributed to some poor numbers as well.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Although poor students are disproportionately likely to receive special education in New York City, well-off disabled kids are the ones most acutely driving up the budget.
    Marc Novicoff, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • And getting all giddy over some lame light beer that has apple juice poured into to is just plain embarrassing.
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
  • This idea that just sitting with your face buried in your phone when you’re supposed to be in a social setting—that’s lame, right?
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Or worse, to turn it into a sort of prison sentence.
    James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • Still, from his horns and tattoos to the double-bladed lightsaber, Maul's bad-guy chic was hard to beat.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 3 May 2026
Adjective
  • Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible.
    Rebecca Schneid, Time, 3 May 2026
  • Aston Villa 1-1 Tottenham Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest Again, this is horrible scheduling on a Bank Holiday Monday afternoon, three days before Forest go to Villa for the second leg of that Europa League semi-final.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Adjective
  • Now, nearly two years later, the school finds itself in a terrible spot, as accusations of serious misconduct arise and an investigation by the athletic department heats up.
    Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
  • And, betting on terrible outcomes doesn't signify what the better actually wants to happen.
    Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, a prospective cohort study published in March 2026 found that breast cancer patients with sufficient vitamin D had meaningfully better survival and cardiovascular outcomes — and that 38% of women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer were deficient at the time of diagnosis.
    Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Appropriately for a defense-deficient series, the Ducks capitalized on two transition sequences early in the third to take control.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • And there was going to be an awful lot of emotional resonance and relatability with today’s generation of young women with Mary Bennet, more so than there would be [with Elizabeth Bennet.
    K.J. Yossman, Variety, 7 May 2026
  • The mother-haver at Forster’s school could never trust in the safety of his awful secret.
    Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Unacceptable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unacceptable. Accessed 9 May. 2026.

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