OK
adjective
all right; proceeding normally; satisfactory or under control.
OK
1 American
[oh-key, oh-key, oh-key]
/ ˈoʊˈkeɪ, ˌoʊˈkeɪ, ˈoʊˌkeɪ /
Also
O.K.,
or
okay
adjective
-
all right; proceeding normally; satisfactory or under control.
Things are OK at the moment.
-
correct, permissible, or acceptable; meeting standards.
Is this suit OK to wear to a formal party?
-
doing well or in good health; managing adequately.
She's been OK since the operation.
-
adequate but unexceptional or unremarkable; tolerable.
The job they did was OK, nothing more.
-
estimable, dependable, or trustworthy; likable.
an OK person.
adverb
-
all right; well enough; successfully; fine.
She'll manage OK on her own.
He sings OK, but he can't tap dance.
-
(used as an affirmative response) yes; surely.
-
(used as an interrogative or interrogative tag) all right?; do you agree?
interjection
-
(used to express agreement, understanding, acceptance, or the like).
OK, I'll get it for you.
-
(used as an introductory or transitional expression).
OK, now where were we?
noun
-
OK's
plural
verb (used with object)
-
OKs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
OK's,
present (3rd person singular)
-
OKed,
past participle, past
-
OK'd,
past participle, past
-
OKing,
present participle
-
OK'ing
present participle
OK
2
American
abbreviation
O.K.
1
British
/ ˌəʊˈkeɪ /
adjective
-
in good or satisfactory condition
-
permissable
is it O.K. if I go home now?
-
acceptable but not outstanding
the party was O.K.
verb
noun
OK
2
British
abbreviation
Usage
And is OK in the dictionary? OK is a word. The term OK may also be spelled okay. There is confusion as to whether OK is a word because it is informal, looks like an acronym, and is spelled with all capital letters. However, none of these elements disqualify OK from being a valid word.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
OKsimple
-
OK'ssimple
-
OKssimple
-
have OK'dperfect
-
have OKedperfect
-
has OK'dperfect
-
has OKedperfect
-
am OK'ingprogressive
-
am OKingprogressive
-
are OK'ingprogressive
-
are OKingprogressive
-
is OK'ingprogressive
-
is OKingprogressive
-
have been OK'ingperfect progressive
-
have been OKingperfect progressive
-
has been OK'ingperfect progressive
-
has been OKingperfect progressive
Past
-
OK'dsimple
-
OKedsimple
-
had OK'dperfect
-
had OKedperfect
-
was OK'ingprogressive
-
was OKingprogressive
-
were OK'ingprogressive
-
were OKingprogressive
-
had been OK'ingperfect progressive
-
had been OKingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of OK
Initials of a facetious folk phonetic spelling, i.e., oll or orl korrect representing all correct, first attested in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1839, then used in 1840 by Democrat partisans of Martin Van Buren during his election campaign, who allegedly named their organization, the O.K. Club, in allusion to the initials of Old Kinderhook, Van Buren's nickname, derived from his birthplace, Kinderhook, New York
Explanation
Anything that's ok is all right or fine. A perfectly ok answer when your dad asks how your homework is going is "Ok." If something's ok, it's not terrible, but it's not wonderful either — it's simply ok. You can use this informal word to ask if something's acceptable: "Hey, is it ok if I borrow your car?" It's also a good way to check up on someone's well-being: "You look sad today; are you ok?" Ok is the only known example that's still in use of a 19th century slang trend of abbreviating deliberate misspellings. Ok comes from "oll korrect."
Vocabulary lists containing ok
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.
See Examples For:
“When we start doing that,” says Fogel, who also helms parent company Booking Holdings, “that’s when I’ll feel OK, now we really are a good AI travel agent on your phone and in your pocket.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
"Sure this guy's remarks are unbelievable. On top of that, it suggests how he thinks it's OK to treat Takaichi -- or Japan for that matter -- this crudely," said another.
From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026
Rovner: The best creative always comes from knowing it’s OK to fail, it’s OK to try something.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
OK, time for me to leave you in peace.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
She writes back, The truth is always OK.
From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen
By the way, the Wolford ruling doesn’t turn Hawaii into the O.K.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Which brings us to Candlestick Park, the O.K.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
Other classics he was a part of include 1957’s “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral” and “The Sons of Katie Elder” in 1965.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 27, 2024
Almost half of the 58 starters failed to finish on the O.K. course, which was set by one of the Italian coaches, Paolo Stefanini.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 17, 2023
“O.K. O.K. I’m insane, too. I’ll go along with you. Besides some of the complications are getting interesting, even though some are dull. How will you disguise your handwriting?”
From "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg
Now, 2019 OK’s brief but alarming appearance is sure to nudge that discussion forward.
From Slate ● Jul. 29, 2019
With so much thought given to OK's slogans and packaging, what about the reddish-brown beverage itself?
From Time Magazine Archive
Otherwise, you cannot take those steps unless a person with power of attorney OKs it.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 17, 2025
When the federal government OKs a permit for a project that will discharge into navigable waters, state governments have the right to review the project to make sure it complies with state laws.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 22, 2021
I heard a rumor they may add a number for Ms. Rigg to sing after the curtain call for while the Tony voters are there, if Alan Jay Lerner OKs it.
From New York Times ● May 1, 2018
But even after the Senate OKs the budget and sends it to the desk of Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo, both legislative chambers have many more bills to vote on before they adjourn for the year.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 25, 2017
A flimsy foundation of oral OKs, napkin scribblings and youthful haste, it turns out, is a dangerous mix.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2015
Wainschel’s post, which was OK’d by his daughter on the condition he didn’t embarrass her, didn’t lead to a job but did result in productive conversations, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
The House version required both parents have a Social Security number, but the Senate OK'd a requirement of only one parent.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2025
JetBlue swooped in for Spirit with a $3.8 billion deal, which shareholders OK’d in October 2022.
From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2024
On Friday, the California Public Utilities Commission OK’d the company’s plans to expand into San Mateo and L.A. counties over local leaders’ objections.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2024
When a bill is received, it is paid only by the League treasurer after it has been OK’d by the chairman of the committee responsible for it.
From The 1926 Tatler by Margaret Louise Newhall
It also OKed the merger of BB&T and SunTrust, bringing more concentration in the sector.
From Slate ● Sep. 3, 2021
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mostly OKed this reopening, with the provision that everyone should mask up in schools and, if 12 or older, be vaccinated against COVID-19.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2021
Lygo describes himself as Emperor Nero, giving the final thumbs up or down, and Webb-Lamb is in a similar position: both hear pitches after they’ve already been OKed by commissioning editors further down the chain.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 6, 2021
The ordinance was initially approved June 12 and, if OKed after a second reading Tuesday night, would take effect in 30 days.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2018
To enter the press suite you need to have been previously OKed by the press officer and to work for an approved media organisation.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 17, 2011
U.S. regulators have approved a new pneumonia vaccine from Merck, more than a month after OK’ing an improved version of rival Pfizer’s shot.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 16, 2021
The measure cleared the Ohio Senate by just three votes, and the House followed by OK’ing Senate changes 67-28.
From Salon ● May 25, 2016
It did so not by setting an aspirational goal for two or three decades from now, but by OKing a big construction project.
From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2016
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.
