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
- acceptability noun
- acceptableness noun
- acceptably adverb
- unacceptability noun
- unacceptable adjective
- unacceptableness noun
- unacceptably adverb
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.
This is becoming the standard position: A.I. for everything upstream of prose is acceptable; A.I. for the prose itself is a betrayal.
From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026
“I have to ask, how is that acceptable? How is one teacher supposed to meet the needs of 25 students?”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026
Practically, this would mean buying back stock if they don’t get acceptable offers.
From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026
Skyhorse Publishing says it is starting a new imprint with the influential former Fox News host, with the stated aim of challenging the boundaries of what legacy media deems acceptable.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
After that, it was no longer acceptable to ask a guy to Sadie Hawkins by baking him a plate of cookies or by wearing a T-shirt with his football number on the back.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
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.
