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acceptable

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ækˈsɛptəbəɫ// UK //ɐksˈɛptəbəl// ac·cept·able General-service

adj. good enough or allowed in a specific situation. You use it when something is not perfect but meets the minimum requirements.

adj. satisfactory or adequate for a particular purpose; meeting the minimum standards of a social or professional context.


SIMPLE

The quality of your work is acceptable for this task.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager decided that a formal apology was an acceptable solution to the customer's complaint.

COMPLEX

While the initial draft contained several minor errors, the overall structure was deemed acceptable by the committee, provided the author made the necessary corrections before final publication.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English acceptable, from Anglo-Norman and Middle French acceptable, from Late Latin acceptābilis (“worthy of acceptance”). Morphologically accept + -able.

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'to' when referring to people or groups ('acceptable to the board').

Pitfall

The price is very acceptableThe price is reasonableWhile 'acceptable' means adequate, learners often use it when they mean 'good value' or 'cheap', where 'reasonable' or 'affordable' is more natural.

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