unacceptable

adjective

ˌən-ik-ˈsep-tə-bəl How to pronounce unacceptable (audio)
Definition of unacceptablenext
as in wrong
falling short of a standard this work is entirely unacceptable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unacceptable Overt racial prejudice, long considered socially unacceptable, is increasingly visible in public life, marking a shift from previously subtle forms. — Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 In Europe, Apple now supports multiple app stores after years of calling that an unacceptable security risk, and lets developers use their own billing services with a much bigger discount on its service fees. — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 25 June 2026 Whether through negotiation, sustained economic strangulation, or military action, if necessary, the objective remains non-negotiable that a nuclear Iran is unacceptable. — Shaun McCutcheon, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2026 Tehran estimates a post-war Hormuz toll could generate $40 billion in annual revenue, The Wall Street Journal reported, and is pitching Gulf nations on sharing the proceeds, even as Washington reassures its allies that tolls would be unacceptable. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unacceptable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unacceptable
  1. wrong
  2. poor
  3. lame
  4. bad
  5. horrible
  6. terrible
  7. deficient
  8. awful
Adjective
  • Critics, and even some supporters, said Soto-Martínez was making his move at the wrong time.
    — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • That could always be wrong, of course, but at least that’s the garage talk heading into the weekend.
    — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • Overflowing poor drainage areas in urban areas of northwest Hickory and in the Northlakes area of Caldwell County.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026
  • There was a lot of poor decision-making with this match, on and off the pitch.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Stronger and more flavorful than in your original lame iteration?
    — Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • On paper, some of the six, all of whom are far-right conservatives, have enviable educational backgrounds, but the record has proven that each one is openly political and willing to rubber-stamp nearly all of DeSantis’ lame and unconstitutional policies.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 June 2026
Definition of lame
Adjective
  • That if you were deemed, as an enslaved person, if you were deemed troublesome or in some way unwanted, you would literally be sold down the river from the more northern states to the deeper south where you would potentially be treated even worse.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Offer Real Value, Not Leftovers Most product bundles fail not because the idea is bad but because the execution misses what consumers actually want.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • And obviously, slavery was a terrible thing, and that was horrible.
    — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
  • Horton, who married Rickman in 2012 in a private ceremony after more than 40 years together, also told the outlet that the diagnosis had been a horrible shock to them both.
    — Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • Thank you to everyone who read or contributed to this column over the years, who reached out to me with story ideas or tips, or complimented my terrible artwork.
    — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Visitors will see his Rough Riders uniform; the 1884 diary grieving his terrible loss; and the eyeglasses case, speech and shirt from the 1912 assassination attempt against him.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • Drought covered virtually the entire Plains, destroying crops with deficient rainfall, high temperatures, high winds, insect infestations and dust storms.
    — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 4 July 2026
  • Many people included in these studies may not have been deficient in vitamin D or calcium to begin with.
    — Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 1 July 2026
Definition of deficient
Adjective
  • One year Pippa Middleton faced the awful shame of having to sit in a normal seat after showing up late.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • Sugar is at the forensic lab with the corpse of a man who looks an awful lot like Ji Moon but isn’t Ji Moon (courtesy of Shea Whigham as Tom Flybjerg).
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 27 June 2026
Definition of awful

Browse Nearby Words

unacceptability
unacceptable
unacceptably
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Cite this Entry

“Unacceptable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unacceptable. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on unacceptable

Nglish: Translation of unacceptable for Spanish Speakers

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