alright
- 01 A2 Elementary
adj.good enough or satisfactory, but not necessarily great.
adj.satisfactory or acceptable in quality; often used as a predicative adjective to describe a state of being.
Simple“The food at the new café was alright, but the service was slow.”
In context“The results of the preliminary test were alright, though the supervisor noted several areas where the team could improve their efficiency.”
UsageUsually follows a linking verb like 'be' or 'feel'.
PitfallThe teacher said my essay was alright. The teacher said my essay was all right.While 'alright' is common in casual writing, many teachers and editors consider it a mistake and prefer 'all right' in formal contexts.
Synonyms - 02 A2 Elementary
adj.safe, healthy, or not injured after an accident.
adj.in a satisfactory state of health or safety; free from injury or significant distress.
Simple“Are you alright? That was a nasty fall you just had.”
In context“Despite the severity of the collision, the paramedics confirmed that all passengers were alright and required no further medical attention.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
adv.in a way that is good enough or acceptable.
adv.in a satisfactory or adequate manner; used to modify a verb or an entire clause.
Simple“The car seems to be running alright now that the battery is charged.”
In context“The presentation went alright, although the speaker struggled slightly with the technical equipment during the first few minutes.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 04 A2 Elementary
interj.a word you use to show that you agree or understand.
interj.used to express agreement, compliance, or to signal that the speaker is ready to move to a new topic.
Simple“Alright, I will meet you at the station at six o'clock.”
In context“Alright, let's move on to the next item on the agenda since we have reached a consensus on the budget.”
- 05 B1 Intermediate
interj.a very casual way to say hello or ask how someone is.
interj.a phatic greeting used to acknowledge someone's presence, often functioning as a synonym for 'hello'.
Simple“Alright? I haven't seen you around here for a few weeks.”
In context“He gave a quick nod and a brief 'Alright?' as he passed his colleague in the hallway.”
Teacher's tipIn British English, this is often a greeting rather than a genuine question about health; the standard response is often just to say 'alright' back.
Synonymshellohi
Univerbation of all + right. Compare Old English eallriht (“all-right, just, exactly”) (from eall + riht), equivalent to al- (“all”) + right.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.