respectable
Americanadjective
-
worthy of respect or esteem; estimable; worthy.
a respectable citizen.
- Synonyms:
- honorable
-
of good social standing, reputation, etc..
a respectable neighborhood.
-
suitable or good enough to be seen or used.
respectable clothes; respectable language.
-
of moderate excellence; fairly good; fair.
a respectable performance.
-
appreciable in size, number, or amount.
a respectable turnout.
adjective
-
having or deserving the respect of other people; estimable; worthy
-
having good social standing or reputation
-
having socially or conventionally acceptable morals, standards, etc
a respectable woman
-
relatively or fairly good; considerable
a respectable salary
-
fit to be seen by other people; presentable
Other Word Forms
-
nonrespectableadjective
-
nonrespectablenessnoun
-
nonrespectablyadverb
-
prerespectableadjective
-
quasi-respectableadjective
-
quasi-respectablyadverb
-
respectabilitynoun
-
respectablenessnoun
-
respectablyadverb
-
semirespectableadjective
-
superrespectableadjective
-
superrespectablenessnoun
-
superrespectablyadverb
-
ultrarespectableadjective
-
ultrarespectablenessnoun
-
ultrarespectablyadverb
-
unrespectableadjective
Etymology
Origin of respectable
Explanation
Something or someone respectable is honest, good, and proper. Respectable behavior includes things like contributing to charity, volunteering at an animal shelter, and helping your friends study vocabulary. Anything or anyone respectable deserves respect for being honorable or moral. If you return a wallet that you find on the street, that’s respectable behavior. People would probably view you as a respectable person. However, if you removed all the money from the wallet before returning it, that’s not respectable. Respectable can also be used to describe to an adequate or large amount of something. If you return the wallet untouched, you might get a respectable sum as a reward.
Vocabulary lists containing respectable
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Walk Two Moons
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In the end, Corteen-Coleman ended with a more than respectable 2-49 as she added the wicket of Maddy Green for 88 in her final over.
From BBC • May 10, 2026
It’s a respectable argument, even if it makes a moral defense of any war practically impossible.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
I got a very respectable, but terribly boring day job, because I talked my way into the interview and was like, “Yeah, I can totally do data analytics.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
It blitzes together a very respectable chickpea salad in minutes.
From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026
But my biscuits were respectable; Karl ate a half dozen himself.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
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.
