Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
acceptable [ak-sep-tuh-buh l] ExamplesWord Origin See more synonyms for acceptable on Thesaurus.com adjective
- capable or worthy of being accepted.
- pleasing to the receiver; satisfactory; agreeable; welcome.
- meeting only minimum requirements; barely adequate: an acceptable performance.
- capable of being endured; tolerable; bearable: acceptable levels of radiation.
Origin of acceptable First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word acceptābilis. See accept, -able Related formsac·cept·a·bil·i·ty, ac·cept·a·ble·ness, nounac·cept·a·bly, adverbun·ac·cept·a·bil·i·ty, nounun·ac·cept·a·ble, adjectiveun·ac·cept·a·ble·ness, nounun·ac·cept·a·bly, adverb Related Words for unacceptable unsatisfactory, inadmissible, distasteful, objectionable, offensive, improper, undesirable, repugnant, damaged, disagreeable, displeasing, exceptionable, half-baked, ill-favored, insupportable, lousy, obnoxious, reject, unappealing, uninviting Examples from the Web for unacceptable Contemporary Examples of unacceptable
The fact that I was neither outraged nor filled with jubilation was not only unacceptable, but also placed me in the minority.
The Outrage Over Beyonce’s Bettie Page Bangs: Why the Media Must Stop Objectifying Women
Phoebe Robinson
October 15, 2014
That, they feel, is unacceptable given the Sudden Departure.
Carrie Coon on ‘The Leftovers,’ That Wild Finale, Her Apocalyptic Visions, and ‘Gone Girl’
Marlow Stern
September 9, 2014
Rõivas called the kidnapping of a counterintelligence official a serious crime “unacceptable to any Estonian.”
Russia Steps Up Pressure on the Baltics
Will Cathcart
September 5, 2014
The jurors could “send a message” that bitter, defamatory blogging and tweeting was unacceptable.
The Weirdest Story About a Conservative Obsession, a Convicted Bomber, and Taylor Swift You Have Ever Read
David Weigel
August 30, 2014
He detailed the unacceptable groups like the NRA, big sugar and Monsanto, from which Michaud had taken donations from.
Could Maine Re-Elect Its Wingnut Governor Paul LePage?
Ben Jacobs
August 21, 2014
Historical Examples of unacceptable
One crime more will not make you unacceptable to her you love.
Joaqun Telesforo de Trueba y Coso
A short sketch of his life will not, perhaps, be unacceptable to the reader.
Augustin Calmet
But before he had finished he felt that his jest was unacceptable and had not come off.
Leo Tolstoy
Some few hints as to collecting larvae may not be unacceptable.
Montagu Browne
But radical finalism is quite as unacceptable, and for the same reason.
Henri Bergson
British Dictionary definitions for unacceptable unacceptable adjective
- not satisfactory; inadequatethe standard was wholly unacceptable
- intolerablehitting children is unacceptable
acceptable adjective
- satisfactory; adequate
- pleasing; welcome
- tolerable
Derived Formsacceptability or acceptableness, nounacceptably, adverb Word Origin and History for unacceptable adj.
late 15c., from un- (1) “not” + acceptable. Related: Unacceptably.
acceptable adj.
late 14c., from Old French acceptable, from Latin acceptabilis “worthy of acceptance,” from acceptare (see accept). Related: Acceptably.