Word
acceptable
Phoneticsac·cept·able
US/ækˈsɛptəbəɫ/
UK/ɐksˈɛptəbəl/
Definitions
01satisfactory or good enough
B1 · Intermediate
adj. good enough for what you need, even if it is not perfect.
adj. meeting a required standard; satisfactory or adequate for a given purpose.
“The hotel room was basic, but it was acceptable for a one-night stay.”
“While the initial draft required several minor revisions, the overall quality of the research was deemed acceptable by the review board.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02allowed or socially correct
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. considered right or okay by most people or by the rules.
adj. socially, legally, or ethically permissible within a specific context.
“It is no longer acceptable to smoke inside public buildings in this country.”
“The committee debated whether such a casual tone was acceptable for a formal diplomatic correspondence.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03passable but not great
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. just okay; not bad, but not very good either.
adj. barely worthy or less than excellent; describing something that is merely passable.
日本語:無難※
“His performance in the play was acceptable, but he didn't stand out.”
“The student produced an acceptable translation, though it lacked the stylistic nuance required for a top grade.”
04an accepted person or thing
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Formal · Technical
n. a person or thing that meets the requirements to be included.
n. a person or object categorized as meeting the criteria for acceptance.
“The list of candidates was divided into the acceptables and the rejects.”
“In sociological studies of group dynamics, individuals are often coded as acceptables or outsiders based on their adherence to local norms.”
Usage
Usually used in the plural form when referring to people.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “acceptable” in context.
Verb
01. consider acceptable
“The committee will consider acceptable any proposal that meets the minimum safety requirements.”
verb + adj
02. deem acceptable
“The court did not deem acceptable the evidence provided by the defense.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. acceptable level
“We need to reduce the noise to an acceptable level before the office opens.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“Residents, many of whom are parents with young children, or are elderly or disabled, said this was not an acceptable solution.” “Shorts, strappy tops and sandals: What is acceptable to wear to work?” Etymology
From Middle English acceptable, from Anglo-Norman and Middle French acceptable, from Late Latin acceptābilis (“worthy of acceptance”). Morphologically accept + -able.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/acceptable
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0