adjective
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adequate or suitable; acceptable
a satisfactory answer
-
giving satisfaction
-
constituting or involving atonement, recompense, or expiation for sin
Other Word Forms
- presatisfactory adjective
- satisfactorily adverb
- satisfactoriness noun
Etymology
Origin of satisfactory
First recorded in 1520–30; from Medieval Latin satisfactōrius, from Latin satisfac(ere) “to do enough” ( satisfaction ( def. ) ) + -tōrius -tory 1
Explanation
If something's satisfactory it's okay — acceptable, but maybe not great. When you take a course pass/fail, your grade will be satisfactory if you meet all the requirements and do a reasonable job, or unsatisfactory if you don't. Try not to confuse satisfactory and satisfying. If you've cooked a satisfactory turkey for Thanksgiving, your guests aren't getting sick or making excuses to leave the table, but they're probably not asking for seconds either. But if your turkey is satisfying, everybody is complimenting you on your culinary skills and probably sitting back in their chairs with contented smiles on their faces.
Vocabulary lists containing satisfactory
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6
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Thumbs Up: Synonyms for "Good"
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You Are Correct! Synonyms for "Right"
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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.
There’s no satisfactory answer to that, although it’s fair to say that the papacies of Francis and Leo represent the first serious efforts to reckon with those more recent crimes.
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
If the United States wins the WBC championship Tuesday, when no outcome besides victory would have been satisfactory, the team will explode in celebration.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026
“There can be language, communication, and other barriers that make it difficult, if not impossible, for consumers to get a satisfactory resolution to their problem.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026
"So perhaps if the DC district attorney, or the DC US Attorney, gets some answers and the answers are satisfactory, then we can move on," Bessent told host Larry Kudlow.
From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026
I heard a satisfactory thunk when it hit the slack.
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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.
