adjective
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adequate or suitable; acceptable
a satisfactory answer
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giving satisfaction
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constituting or involving atonement, recompense, or expiation for sin
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of satisfactory
First recorded in 1520–30; from Medieval Latin satisfactōrius, from Latin satisfac(ere) “to do enough” ( see satisfaction ( def. )) + -tōrius -tory 1
Explanation
If something's satisfactory it's okay — acceptable, but maybe not great. When you take a course pass/fail, your grade will be satisfactory if you meet all the requirements and do a reasonable job, or unsatisfactory if you don't. Try not to confuse satisfactory and satisfying. If you've cooked a satisfactory turkey for Thanksgiving, your guests aren't getting sick or making excuses to leave the table, but they're probably not asking for seconds either. But if your turkey is satisfying, everybody is complimenting you on your culinary skills and probably sitting back in their chairs with contented smiles on their faces.
Vocabulary lists containing satisfactory
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6
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Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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You Are Correct! Synonyms for "Right"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Less than one-third of families report having had satisfactory conversations around aging and end-of-life planning, and more than two-thirds of those conversations don’t happen until there’s a critical emergency or health crisis,” it says.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
The company said sales showed "satisfactory development both in stores and online", with all its brands -- including Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius and Oysho -- registering higher takings.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
Not a bad start to take the lead after 31 seconds and a satisfactory start to Alonso's reign, but there was obvious good and obvious bad in what he watched at Craven Cottage.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
For the city, the move represents a satisfactory but temporary solution to a months-long dispute over the market’s location that came to a head last week.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
When he inquired whether I had dined, I asked him to serve me with a sandwich in my room, which proved a perfectly satisfactory option as far as supper was concerned.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
