UNACCEPTABLE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does unacceptable mean? 

• UNACCEPTABLE (adjective)
  The adjective UNACCEPTABLE has 4 senses:

1. not adequate to give satisfaction

2. not acceptable; not welcome

3. (used of persons or their behavior) not acceptable or reasonable

4. not conforming to standard usage

  Familiarity information: UNACCEPTABLE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UNACCEPTABLE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Not adequate to give satisfaction

Context example:

the coach told his players that defeat was unacceptable

Similar:

unsatisfactory (not giving satisfaction)

Derivation:

unacceptableness (unsatisfactoriness by virtue of not conforming to approved standards)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Not acceptable; not welcome

Context example:

an unacceptable violation of personal freedom

Similar:

exceptionable; objectionable (liable to objection or debate; used of something one might take exception to)

Also:

unsatisfactory (not giving satisfaction)

unwelcome (not welcome; not giving pleasure or received with pleasure)

Antonym:

acceptable (worthy of acceptance or satisfactory)

Derivation:

unacceptability; unacceptableness (unsatisfactoriness by virtue of not conforming to approved standards)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(used of persons or their behavior) not acceptable or reasonable

Synonyms:

impossible; unacceptable

Context example:

impossible behavior

Similar:

intolerable; unbearable; unendurable (incapable of being tolerated or endured)

Derivation:

unacceptability; unacceptableness (unsatisfactoriness by virtue of not conforming to approved standards)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Not conforming to standard usage

Synonyms:

unacceptable; unaccepted

Context example:

the following use of 'access' was judged unacceptable by a panel of linguists; 'You can access your cash at any of 300 automatic tellers'

Similar:

nonstandard (not conforming to the language usage of a prestige group within a community)

Domain category:

linguistics (the scientific study of language)

Derivation:

unacceptableness (unsatisfactoriness by virtue of not conforming to approved standards)

 Context examples 

Indicates a biomedical image that is unacceptable for diagnostic purposes.

(Non-diagnostic Quality, NCI Thesaurus)

When inhibiting COX-2, this agent may be effective in relieving pain and inflammation; when inhibiting COX-1, it may produce unacceptable gastrointestinal side effects.

(Oxaprozin, NCI Thesaurus)

An unacceptable or unexpected RF-induced temperature rise in the vicinity of a medical device or body part (usually caused by a closed current loop).

(Device Radiofrequency Induced Overheating Evaluation Result, Food and Drug Administration)

When inhibiting COX-2, diclofenac may be effective in relieving pain and inflammation; when inhibiting COX-1, it may produce unacceptable gastrointestinal side effects.

(Diclofenac, NCI Thesaurus)

An action that is deemed unsatisfactory or unacceptable.

(Disapproval, NCI Thesaurus)

Disorders in which the symptoms are distressing to the individual and recognized by him or her as being unacceptable.

(Neurosis, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

The unacceptable distortion of an image due to signal loss that may occur during a radiologic procedure such as magnetic resonance imaging.

(Device Image Artifact Evaluation Result, Food and Drug Administration)

An unpleasant emotional state experienced upon having an inadequacy, guilt, or socially unacceptable act or trait witnessed by or revealed to others.

(Embarrassment, NCI Thesaurus)

If the administered T cells lead to unacceptable side effects, the chemical homodimerizer AP1903 can be administered, which binds to the FKBP12-F36V drug binding domain, activates caspase 9, and results in apoptosis of the administered T-cells.

(Autologous iC9-GD2-CAR-expressing VZV-specific T Lymphocytes, NCI Thesaurus)

For a moment he ceased, but she had barely become conscious of it, when, rising from his chair, he said, And now, Fanny, having performed one part of my commission, and shewn you everything placed on a basis the most assured and satisfactory, I may execute the remainder by prevailing on you to accompany me downstairs, where, though I cannot but presume on having been no unacceptable companion myself, I must submit to your finding one still better worth listening to.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)