unacceptable
Britishadjective
-
not satisfactory; inadequate
the standard was wholly unacceptable
-
intolerable
hitting children is unacceptable
Explanation
Something unacceptable is not okay — it's objectionable or displeasing. Hey, are you yelling in the library? That's unacceptable! If a student's behavior is unacceptable, she may get detention or be sent to the principal's office. And if a restaurant patron's meal is unacceptable, he has every right to ask his server for something else. The adjective unacceptable adds the "not" prefix un- to acceptable, "suitable, adequate, or pleasing." We can trace the roots back to the Latin acceptare, "take or receive willingly."
Vocabulary lists containing unacceptable
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.
The League of Arab States joined the chorus, calling the attack "an unacceptable transgression".
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Flavio issued fierce denials as Lula took to the campaign trail clutching a statue of the saint, declaring that "messing" with her was "unacceptable."
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
“Such conduct is unacceptable and inconsistent with the values and standards of our Department.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026
The prime minister described the breach as "obviously unacceptable" and said OpenAI took "way too long" to inform Australian officials.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
It was helpful for the generation of the theoretical models which explained air pressure and the vacuum, even if those models were unacceptable to Descartes.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
