acceptable

[ak-sep-tuh-buhl]

adjective

1. capable or worthy of being accepted.

2. pleasing to the receiver; satisfactory; agreeable; welcome.

3. meeting only minimum requirements; barely adequate.

   an acceptable performance.

4. capable of being endured; tolerable; bearable.

   acceptable levels of radiation.

acceptable

/ əkˈsɛptəbəl /

adjective

1. satisfactory; adequate

2. pleasing; welcome

3. tolerable

Other Word Forms

• acceptability noun
• acceptableness noun
• acceptably adverb
• unacceptability noun
• unacceptable adjective
• unacceptableness noun
• unacceptably adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of acceptable¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word acceptābilis. See accept, -able

Example Sentences

But Big Tech may still find a moment to pause the aggressive growth of its investments as it protects its ability to generate an acceptable return on that money.

Read more on Barron's

"It is shocking that until a policy change in 2022, it was considered acceptable to house families in properties known to have damp and mould," the report said.

Read more on BBC

The conference often overruns as a result of last-minute negotiations to secure a deal which is acceptable to all the participants.

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"The players have to step up too, by the way - it shouldn't all be on the manager. Some have been way, way below an acceptable standard for Liverpool."

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But a writer’s and director’s willingness to stretch the boundaries of narrative deviation changes our notion of what’s acceptable in film and in life.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• adequate 
• common 
• decent 
• fair 
• respectable 
• sufficient 
• tolerable