OK

or o·kay

[ oh-key, oh-key, oh-key ]

/ ˈoʊˈkeɪ, ˌoʊˈkeɪ, ˈoʊˌkeɪ /

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See synonyms for OK on Thesaurus.com

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, plural OK's.

an approval, agreement, or endorsement: They gave their OK to her leave of absence.

verb (used with object), OK'd, OK'ing.

to put one's endorsement on or indicate one's approval of (a request, piece of copy, bank check, etc.); authorize; initial: Would you OK my application?

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Also O.K., ok .

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

historical usage of OK

Few Americanisms have been more successful than ok, which survived the political campaign of 1840 that fostered it, quickly lost its political significance, and went on to develop use as a verb, adverb, noun, and interjection. The expression was well known in England by the 1880s. Today ok has achieved worldwide recognition and use. It occurs in all but the most formal speech and writing.

Words nearby OK

Ojibway, Ojibwe, Oji-Cree, ojo caliente, OJT, OK, oka, Okanagan, Okanagan Lake, okapi, Okavango

Other definitions for OK (2 of 2)

OK²

abbreviation

Oklahoma (approved especially for use with zip code).

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use OK in a sentence

Unless there is a court decision that changes our law, we are OK.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Because they stopped and I thought, “OK, that makes sense,” and then all of a sudden I saw another issue!
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
One of the most famous directors of this era was Shin Sang-ok (신상옥).
Propaganda, Protest, and Poisonous Vipers: The Cinema War in Korea|Rich Goldstein|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Like, OK, to be around them when we were away from work is great, but being at work was still kind of strange for me.
How A Company’s Support of Gay Employees Helped One of Them To Come Out||December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And… and… OK, he was the governor of a huge and electorally important state.
Be the Smarter Bush Brother, Jeb: Don’t Run!|Michael Tomasky|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I'm going to be one of those people who acts like it's all OK, like it'll all go back to normal some day.
Little Brother|Cory Doctorow
Her desk was worse than the floor, piled high with books and comics, so we ended up sitting on her bed, which was OK by me.
Little Brother|Cory Doctorow
I was still moving, reaching for her other hand, for her now-unlocked phone with her thumb still poised over the OK key.
Little Brother|Cory Doctorow
They sprinkle rat poison over everything at closing-time, but if you get there quick, you're OK.
Little Brother|Cory Doctorow
Paroccipital, par-ok-sip′i-tal, adj. situated near the occiput.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R)|Various

British Dictionary definitions for OK (1 of 2)

abbreviation for

Oklahoma

British Dictionary definitions for OK (2 of 2)

O.K.

/ (ˌəʊˈkeɪ) informal /

sentence substitute

an expression of approval, agreement, etc

adjective, adverb (usually postpositive)

in good or satisfactory condition

permissableis it O.K. if I go home now?

acceptable but not outstandingthe party was O.K.

verb O.K.s, O.K.ing (ˌəʊˈkeɪɪŋ) or O.K.ed (ˌəʊˈkeɪd)

(tr) to approve or endorse

noun plural O.K.s

approval or agreement

Also: OK, o.k., okay

Word Origin for O.K.

C19: perhaps from o (ll) k (orrect), jocular alteration of all correct

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012