satisfactory
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
good enough to meet a need or a rule, but not necessarily great.
meeting requirements or expectations to an adequate degree. Often used in formal assessments to indicate a pass that is not high-level.
Simple“The teacher said my essay was satisfactory, but I need to work on my spelling.”
In context“The inspector found the safety measures to be satisfactory, though he suggested several minor improvements for the next quarter.”
UsageOften used in formal contexts like work reports or school grades.
Teacher's tipHelp students understand that 'satisfactory' is a 'lukewarm' word; it means something is okay, but it lacks the enthusiasm of 'excellent' or 'great'.
PitfallThe food was very satisfactory. The food was very good.In modern English, 'satisfactory' is usually for formal reports or standards. Using it for personal enjoyment like food can sound cold or overly formal.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
giving you a feeling of being pleased or happy with a result.
yielding satisfaction or contentment; providing a sense of completion or resolution.
Simple“It was a satisfactory end to a very long and difficult day.”
In context“Finding the missing documents provided a satisfactory conclusion to an investigation that had lasted nearly six months.”
Teacher's tipIn this sense, 'satisfying' is much more common in modern spoken English than 'satisfactory'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
related to making up for a sin or a wrong act in a religious way.
functioning as atonement or expiation for sin within a theological framework.
Simple“The priest spoke about the satisfactory nature of the sacrifice.”
In context“The treatise explores the concept of satisfactory penance as a means of reconciling the individual with the community.”
UsageUsed almost exclusively in academic or theological discussions.
Teacher's tipThis sense is extremely rare and should only be taught to students reading historical or religious texts.
Synonymsexpiatoryatoning
Usage experience satisfactory · satisfactory explanation · satisfactory result
“But the Home Office rejected the application for not meeting the requirements, saying that the identity document submitted was not satisfactory.”
“He continues: “For a long period of time it has been recognised that the law is really not satisfactory, because you’ve got two totally competing policy objectives.”
Borrowed from Middle French satisfactoire, from Late Latin satisfactōrius, from Latin satisfactus, past participle of satisfaciō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.