adv · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
US:/ækˈsɛp.tə.bli/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AE0 K S EH1 P T AH0 B L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:AH0 K S EH1 P T AH0 B L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
In an acceptable manner; in a manner to please or give satisfaction.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
To an acceptable degree.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adverb
Meaning 3
in an acceptable (but not outstanding) manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
she plays tennis tolerably
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: tolerably, so-so
Antonyms: unacceptably
History
Etymology
From Middle English acceptably, equivalent to acceptable + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
9 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
acceptablement
— in an acceptable manner
Finnish:
hyväksyttävästi
— in an acceptable manner
Central Sierra Miwok:
ˀoká·šy·-j
— in an acceptable manner
Polish:
akceptowalnie
— in an acceptable manner
Portuguese:
aceitavelmente
— in an acceptable manner
Spanish:
aceptablemente
— in an acceptable manner
Swedish:
acceptabelt
— in an acceptable manner
Finnish:
hyväksyttävän
— to an acceptable degree
Portuguese:
aceitavelmente
— to an acceptable degree