unacceptable
Britishadjective
-
not satisfactory; inadequate
the standard was wholly unacceptable
-
intolerable
hitting children is unacceptable
Explanation
Something unacceptable is not okay — it's objectionable or displeasing. Hey, are you yelling in the library? That's unacceptable! If a student's behavior is unacceptable, she may get detention or be sent to the principal's office. And if a restaurant patron's meal is unacceptable, he has every right to ask his server for something else. The adjective unacceptable adds the "not" prefix un- to acceptable, "suitable, adequate, or pleasing." We can trace the roots back to the Latin acceptare, "take or receive willingly."
Vocabulary lists containing unacceptable
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.
"Those comments are completely unacceptable and do not reflect the values of South Norfolk," he added.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Interior minister Laurent Nuñez said seven officers had been injured and called the unrest "absolutely unacceptable".
From BBC • May 31, 2026
Democratic state Governor Mikie Sherrill added: "We've seen the risk to public safety rising outside of Delaney Hall, it has grown unsafe, and that's completely unacceptable."
From Barron's • May 29, 2026
A Bilt spokesman said that the transition attracted higher-than-expected demand and that some members “experienced gaps in service that are simply unacceptable to us.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
But I said the situation as it stood was unacceptable and my wife must be permitted to visit.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
