acceptable
adjective
ac·cept·able
ik-ˈsep-tə-bəl 
ak-
also ek-
1
: capable or worthy of being accepted
an acceptable noise level
socially acceptable behavior
a compromise that is acceptable to both sides
Synonyms of acceptable
Examples of acceptable in a Sentence
acceptable and unacceptable noise levels
It was an acceptable performance, although not an outstanding one.
She plays an acceptable game of tennis.
Recent Examples on the Web
Being five to 15 minutes late is acceptable and probably considered by most hosts to be perfectly on time, Meier and Jokilehto said.
—
Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025
Flowers, food and other consumable items (within reasonable quantities) are acceptable, as are copies of books presented by an author, provided the subject matter is not controversial.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025
In a season where heavy, shapeless hair is no longer acceptable, the butterfly bob becomes the perfect alternative to the classic bob.
—Dulce Moncada, Glamour, 23 Dec. 2025
And to avoid being bypassed by Israel or shot at by Hamas, any future government will need to be acceptable to both, a feat currently hard to fathom.
—Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acceptable
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Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025
Flowers, food and other consumable items (within reasonable quantities) are acceptable, as are copies of books presented by an author, provided the subject matter is not controversial.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 25 Dec. 2025
In a season where heavy, shapeless hair is no longer acceptable, the butterfly bob becomes the perfect alternative to the classic bob.
—Dulce Moncada, Glamour, 23 Dec. 2025
And to avoid being bypassed by Israel or shot at by Hamas, any future government will need to be acceptable to both, a feat currently hard to fathom.
—Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for acceptable
Cite this Entry
“Acceptable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acceptable. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
acceptable
adjective
ac·cept·able
ik-ˈsep-tə-bəl
ak-
1
: capable or worthy of being accepted : satisfactory
an acceptable excuse
2
: barely good enough
plays an acceptable game
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