Dictionary
1all right
adjective
: fairly good
: acceptable or agreeable
: suitable or appropriate
Full Definition of ALL RIGHT
1
: satisfactory, agreeable <whatever you decide is all right with me>
See all right defined for English-language learners
See all right defined for kids
Usage Discussion of ALL RIGHT
Although the spelling alright is nearly as old as all right, some critics have insisted alright is all wrong. Nevertheless it has its defenders and its users, who perhaps have been influenced by analogy with altogether and already. It is less frequent than all right but remains common especially in informal writing. It is quite common in fictional dialogue and is sometimes found in more formal writing <the first two years of medical school were alright — Gertrude Stein>.
ADVERTISEMENT
First Known Use of ALL RIGHT
1808
Related to ALL RIGHT
- Synonyms
- agreeable, satisfactory, alright, copacetic (also copasetic or copesetic), ducky, fine, good, hunky-dory, jake [slang], OK (or okay), palatable
- Antonyms
- disagreeable, unsatisfactory
Rhymes with ALL RIGHT
affright, air right, airtight, albite, Albright, alight, all-night, a mite, aright, backbite, backlight, bauxite, bedight, birthright, black light, bleed white, bobwhite, bombsight, box kite, calcite, campsite, catfight, cockfight, contrite, cordite, Cushite, daylight, deadlight, delight, dendrite, despite, dogfight, downlight, downright, droplight, dust mite, earthlight, excite, eyebright, eyesight, fanlight, felsite, ferrite, finite, fire blight, firefight, firelight, first night, fistfight, flashlight, fleabite, floodlight, foresight, forthright, fortnight, freewrite, frostbite, Gadite, gall mite, gaslight, gastight, ghostwrite, goethite, graphite, green light, gummite, gunfight, half-light, halite, Hamite, handwrite, headlight, highlight, hindsight, Hittite, homesite, hoplite, Hussite, ignite, illite, infight, in-flight, incite, indict, indite, insight, in sight, invite, jacklight, jadeite, key light, lamplight, late blight, leucite, Levite, lighttight, lignite, limelight, lintwhite, lowlight, Lucite, Luddite, lyddite, marmite, Melchite, Memphite, midnight, millwright, moonlight, New Right, night-light, nitrite, off-site, off-white, on sight, on-site, outright, outsight, partite, peep sight, penlight, perlite, playwright, polite, preflight, prizefight, pyrite, quartzite, ratite, recite, red light, red-light, requite, respite, rewrite, rushlight, rust mite, safelight, samite, searchlight, Semite, Servite, Shemite, Shiite, shipwright, sidelight, sit tight, skintight, skylight, skywrite, slant height, smectite, snakebite, snow-white, sound bite, spaceflight, spotlight, stage fright, starlight, sternite, sticktight, stoplight, streetlight, stylite, sulfite, sunlight, Sunnite, taillight, termite, thermite, tonight, torchlight, trothplight, Twelfth Night, twilight, twi-night, typewrite, unite, unsight, upright, uptight, wainwright, watch night, wax light, Web site, weeknight, wheelwright, white flight, white knight, x-height, zinc white
2all right
adverb
: fairly well : well enough
: beyond doubt
—used to express pleasure or excitement
Full Definition of ALL RIGHT
1
: beyond doubt : certainly <she has pneumonia all right>
2
—used interjectionally especially to express agreement or resignation or to indicate the resumption of a discussion <all right, we can do that if you want> <all right, let's go>
3
: well enough : satisfactorily <does all right in school>
See all right defined for English-language learners
Usage Discussion of ALL RIGHT
Although the spelling alright is nearly as old as all right, some critics have insisted alright is all wrong. Nevertheless it has its defenders and its users, who perhaps have been influenced by analogy with altogether and already. It is less frequent than all right but remains common especially in informal writing. It is quite common in fictional dialogue and is sometimes found in more formal writing <the first two years of medical school were alright — Gertrude Stein>.
First Known Use of ALL RIGHT
circa 1811
Related to ALL RIGHT
- Synonyms
- acceptably, adequately, well, alright, creditably, decently, fine, good, middlingly, nicely, OK (or okay), passably, respectably, satisfactorily, serviceably, so-so, sufficiently, tolerably
- Antonyms
- bad, badly, deficiently, ill, inadequately, insufficiently, intolerably, poorly, unacceptably, unsatisfactorily
ALL RIGHT Defined for Kids
1all right
adverb
Definition of ALL RIGHT for Kids
1
: fairly well : well enough <She does all right in school.>
2
—used to show agreement, acceptance, annoyance, reluctance, pleasure, or excitement <Well, all right. Go if you must.> <You got the job? All right!>
2all right
adjective
Definition of ALL RIGHT for Kids
1
: not ill, hurt, or unhappy : well <Did you cut yourself? No, I'm all right.>
2
—used to tell someone not to be concerned <Calm down. Everything is all right.>
3
: within acceptable limits of behavior <Is it all right if I go now?>
4
: suitable or appropriate <Is this movie all right for children?>
5
: fairly good : satisfactory <As an artist, he's all right.>
Learn More About ALL RIGHT
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: all rightyPrevious Word in the Dictionary: All RedAll Words Near: all right
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up all right? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).