acceptable of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "acceptable of" is not grammatically correct and should not be used in written English.
A better alternative would be "acceptable to." For example: "Her behavior was not acceptable to the school's code of conduct."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

"I wish society was more acceptable of men wearing heels," Mr. Paice said.

The New York Times

According to the BBC, he alliance, which was formed last summer, says there is a worry that this ratio could be regarded as the minimum acceptable of staffing when it in fact puts patients at risk.

The Guardian

For example, unemployment relief financed by loans is more readily accepted than the financing of improvements at a charge below the current rate of interest; whilst the form of digging holes in the ground known as gold-mining, which not only adds nothing whatever to the real wealth of the world but involves the disutility of labour, is the most acceptable of all solutions.

The New York Times

We evaluated whether these hypotheses were acceptable of not from the experimental results.

ROBOMECH Journal

Guideline scores ranged from 90.3% (good) of ISCD Official Positions to 66.7% (acceptable) of the ACR-SPR-SSR Guideline.

Insights into Imaging

Respondents who were unemployed at the time of interview indicated an average reservation wage (the lowest wage per hour they considered acceptable) of 2.82 (in log, or $16.8), above the average annual (2001 2011) minimum wage of $13.22 per hour.

IZA Journal of Migration

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

In order to bring it to an acceptable rate of–.

Forbes

Bey on the cover of Vogue signals types of acceptable forms of blackness.

Huffington Post

All adjusted models had acceptable goodness-of-fit (p > 0.05).

BMC Psychiatry

I'd love to see his scale of acceptable levels of hurt.

Huffington Post

Continuing lack of an acceptable standard of security … increases the risk".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "acceptable to" instead of "acceptable of". The preposition "to" correctly indicates the recipient or standard to which something is considered suitable or satisfactory.

Common error

Avoid using "of" after "acceptable". The correct preposition is "to". Using "of" creates a grammatically incorrect phrase. For example, write "This solution is acceptable to the committee" instead of "This solution is acceptable of the committee".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "acceptable of" is grammatically incorrect and functions as an adjective followed by a preposition. Ludwig indicates that "acceptable to" is the correct form, showing that prepositions have very specific rules.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

32%

News & Media

32%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "acceptable of" appears in various contexts, it's grammatically incorrect. As pointed out by Ludwig, "acceptable to" is the correct alternative. Though "acceptable of" can be found in sources like The New York Times and The Guardian, these instances represent errors, not proper usage. When writing, it's important to remember that you need to use "acceptable to" instead of "acceptable of", which should enhance clarity and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

acceptable to

Corrects the grammatical error by using the appropriate preposition, indicating what something is suitable for or agreed upon by.

agreeable to

Indicates a willingness or consent, focusing on the positive reception of something.

suitable for

Emphasizes the appropriateness of something for a specific purpose or situation.

permissible for

Highlights that something is allowed or authorized in a certain context.

satisfactory to

Focuses on meeting the requirements or expectations of someone or something.

adequate for

Indicates that something is sufficient or good enough for a particular purpose.

fitting for

Highlights the appropriateness or suitability of something for a specific occasion or role.

tolerable for

Suggests that something can be endured or accepted, even if it's not ideal.

allowable for

Indicates that something is permitted or within the rules.

admissible for

Focuses on whether something is allowed to be considered or used, often in a legal or formal context.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "acceptable"?

The correct way to use "acceptable" is typically with the preposition "to", as in "acceptable to". For example, "The terms of the agreement were acceptable to all parties involved."

What can I say instead of "acceptable of"?

Since "acceptable of" is grammatically incorrect, use phrases like "acceptable to", "agreeable to", or "suitable for" instead. The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is "acceptable by" ever correct instead of "acceptable to"?

While less common, "acceptable by" can be correct in specific contexts where something is approved or received by a group or standard, but "acceptable to" is more frequently applicable.

What's the difference between "acceptable to" and "acceptable for"?

"Acceptable to" generally refers to someone or something agreeing with or approving of something, whereas "acceptable for" refers to something being suitable or appropriate for a particular purpose or situation.