re·spect·able
ri-ˈspek-tə-bəl 
2
: decent or correct in character or behavior : proper
3
a
: fair in size or quantity
a respectable amount
b
: moderately good : tolerable
4
: fit to be seen : presentable
respectable clothes
: a respectable person
Synonyms
Examples of respectable in a Sentence
Adjective
She comes from a very respectable family.
no respectable dietician would advise people to eat just one kind of food
Recent Examples on the Web
Keyaira Boone, Essence, 22 Sep. 2023
The Patriots held the Eagles to a respectable 97 rushing yards on 25 carries, but the run defense had no answers for Mostert Sunday night.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Sep. 2023
The Cowboys will control the game, but the Jets will keep the margin respectable.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 15 Sep. 2023
Raw, but talented starting pitching, a respectable bullpen and a young offense that will hit for a decent average, but desperately needs power throughout the lineup.
—Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 22 Aug. 2023
In his varsity debut, the freshman from North Andover shot a 2-under par 34 to lead the Eagles to a 51-21 victory and followed it up with a respectable 2-over-par 37 in a win over Weston.
—Khalin Kapoor, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023
At the track, this model made the sprint to 60 mph in a respectable 6.2 seconds.
—Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 8 Sep. 2023
The Netflix drama earned a respectable 5-minute standing ovation at its screening on the Lido on Sunday night.
Fassbender and co-star Tilda Swinton couldn’t attend the premiere because of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 3 Sep. 2023
The gross domestic product -- the economy's total output of goods and services -- rose at a respectable 2.1% annual rate from April to June.
—Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 2 Sep. 2023
Sean Wilentz, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2017
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Adjective
Rooms were also equipped with a Nespresso machine and a respectable selection of quality pods.
—Keyaira Boone, Essence, 22 Sep. 2023
The Patriots held the Eagles to a respectable 97 rushing yards on 25 carries, but the run defense had no answers for Mostert Sunday night.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 Sep. 2023
The Cowboys will control the game, but the Jets will keep the margin respectable.
—Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 15 Sep. 2023
Raw, but talented starting pitching, a respectable bullpen and a young offense that will hit for a decent average, but desperately needs power throughout the lineup.
—Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 22 Aug. 2023
In his varsity debut, the freshman from North Andover shot a 2-under par 34 to lead the Eagles to a 51-21 victory and followed it up with a respectable 2-over-par 37 in a win over Weston.
—Khalin Kapoor, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023
At the track, this model made the sprint to 60 mph in a respectable 6.2 seconds.
—Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 8 Sep. 2023
The Netflix drama earned a respectable 5-minute standing ovation at its screening on the Lido on Sunday night.
Fassbender and co-star Tilda Swinton couldn’t attend the premiere because of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 3 Sep. 2023
The gross domestic product -- the economy's total output of goods and services -- rose at a respectable 2.1% annual rate from April to June.
—Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 2 Sep. 2023
Noun
Shaken respectables thought the Paris Commune had crossed the Atlantic.
—Sean Wilentz, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2017
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'respectable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near respectable
Cite this Entry
“Respectable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/respectable. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.
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Kids Definition
respectable
adjective
re·spect·able
ri-ˈspek-tə-bəl
1
: worthy of respect : reputable
2
: decent or correct in character or behavior : proper
respectable people
3
: fair in size, quality, or quantity
a respectable amount of money
4
: fit to be seen : presentable
respectable clothes
respectability
noun
-ˌspek-tə-ˈbil-ət-ē
respectableness
noun
-ˈspek-tə-bəl-nəs
respectably
adverb
-blē
More from Merriam-Webster on respectable
Nglish: Translation of respectable for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of respectable for Arabic Speakers
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