acceptable
Americanadjective
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capable or worthy of being accepted.
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pleasing to the receiver; satisfactory; agreeable; welcome.
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meeting only minimum requirements; barely adequate.
an acceptable performance.
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capable of being endured; tolerable; bearable.
acceptable levels of radiation.
adjective
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satisfactory; adequate
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pleasing; welcome
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tolerable
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of acceptable
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word acceptābilis. See accept, -able
Explanation
Something that is acceptable is satisfactory or proper for whatever purpose it is considered; it may not be all that’s hoped for, but it's at least adequate. A grade of “A” is best, but is a grade of "C" acceptable? It depends on whom you ask. The word acceptable means "able to accept," a word that comes from the Latin acceptare, which meant "to take willingly." Although the word acceptable suggests something that is fine, it sometimes suggests the least that would be sufficient, and can carry a somewhat negative connotation, as was the case when Franz Kafka wrote, "Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable."
Vocabulary lists containing acceptable
List 2
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Real Nice!
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 6
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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.
Boutcher added that: "Our aim is that an environment exists in the Police Service of Northern Ireland where inappropriate and misogynistic behaviour is not acceptable and will always be challenged."
From BBC • May 13, 2026
These standards reflect a societal judgment about how much uncertainty is acceptable before exercising legal authority.
From Salon • May 12, 2026
"As we move lumber around the world, the termites are constantly transported to new locations. If they find the climate there acceptable, the problem will spread," Choe said.
From Science Daily • May 9, 2026
Leo, who has never said it would be acceptable for Iran to have a nuclear program, has repeatedly called for a world free of all nuclear weapons.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
“Are raw oysters more acceptable to you than a dish of boiled dog? Evidently not.”
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
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.
