Meaning & use
acceptable
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Good enough to be allowed, approved, or judged suitable for a particular purpose.
Grammar: Can be graded: more acceptable or less acceptable depending on the standard.
Patterns
- acceptable to someone
- acceptable for something
- It is acceptable that/to do something
Your passport photo must be clear and acceptable for travel documents.
The delay was acceptable to the client after a full explanation.
It is acceptable to ask for extra time when the evidence is complex.
adjectivecomparable
Tolerated or adequate, although not ideal, excellent, or strongly praised.
Grammar: Often means the minimum that will be allowed, not the best possible result.
Patterns
- acceptable level of something
- acceptable risk
- barely acceptable
The room was basic but acceptable for one night.
There is no acceptable level of discrimination in hiring.
The repair was barely acceptable, so we asked for it to be redone.
Word forms
| comparative | more acceptable |
|---|---|
| superlative | most acceptable |
Common combinations
- socially acceptable
- Interrupting constantly is not socially acceptable in most meetings.
- acceptable level
- The filter keeps noise at an acceptable level.
- acceptable risk
- Pilots are trained to distinguish a manageable fault from an acceptable risk.
- acceptable to
- The final wording was acceptable to both sides.
Synonyms and how they differ
- satisfactory
- Satisfactory is close and often sounds slightly more positive than merely acceptable.
- adequate
- Adequate emphasizes enough for a need; acceptable emphasizes meeting a rule or approval standard.
- tolerable
- Tolerable suggests endurance of something unpleasant; acceptable is broader and less negative.
- permissible
- Permissible stresses being allowed by rules or authority, not quality.
Opposites
Word family
- accept verb
- To receive, agree to, or recognize something.
- acceptably adverb
- In an acceptable manner; passably.
- acceptance noun
- The act of accepting or state of being accepted.
- unacceptable adjective
- Not good enough to be allowed or tolerated.
Commonly confused: acceptable or accepted?
acceptable vs accepted
Acceptable means good enough; accepted means agreed to or widely recognized, as in an accepted practice.
Practice
Which word best completes the sentence: The backup plan must be ___ to all departments before Friday.
Choose one answer.
The sentence needs an adjective after be and before to; acceptable means suitable or allowed. Accepted would mean already agreed on, which changes the timing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “acceptable”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.