that appears satisfactory

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that appears satisfactory" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that seems acceptable or meets the required standards. Example: "After reviewing the proposal, I can say that it appears satisfactory for our needs."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Like Borges in "The Library of Babel", Millhauser is ultimately investigating the mystery of fiction itself: "One school of thought maintains that the wonders of the Barnum Museum deliberately invite mechanical explanations that appear satisfactory without quite satisfying".

The Guardian - Books

It offers the potential to uncover territorial entities whose actual poor performance is masked by levels of gross immunization coverage that appear satisfactory, and, in so doing, contributes more effectively to the development of strategic orientations.

BMC International Health and Human Rights

CAP3 was used on TGICL results using the settings that appeared satisfactory when assembling barley EST sequences [ 7] while PHRAP was used to assemble d2_cluster results using the default parameters.

BMC Genomics

Considering that several genes may not be transcribed in 4th-stage larvae and that transcripts assayed by the DGETP method require the presence of a DpnII restriction site, such transcriptome coverage appears satisfactory.

BMC Genomics

Furthermore, the parent-child agreement of the ACS also appears satisfactory (ICC = 0.72) [ 31].

Child Psychiatry and Human Development

That appears unrealistic.

The Economist

That appears hopeless.

The Economist

That appears unlikely.

The New York Times

Firstly, we observe that security levels provided by iris biometric fuzzy vaults using a single iris appear satisfactory.

EURASIP Journal on Information Security

Psychometric properties of the TEA-Ch appear satisfactory.

Child Psychiatry and Human Development

Intron numbers are not consecutive because we could not design satisfactory primer pairs for some introns that appeared good at the preceding step.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "that appears satisfactory" when you want to convey a sense of provisional acceptance or adequacy, but without necessarily implying complete satisfaction or excellence. It's useful when assessing something that meets minimum requirements but might have room for improvement.

Common error

Avoid using "that appears satisfactory" when you truly want to express complete satisfaction or strong approval. In such cases, opt for phrases like "that is excellent" or "that exceeds expectations" to avoid downplaying your positive assessment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that appears satisfactory" functions as an evaluative expression. It qualifies a subject by indicating it meets a certain threshold of acceptability or adequacy, without necessarily implying excellence. Ludwig AI explains that this phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "that appears satisfactory" is a grammatically correct phrase used to express that something meets a minimum level of acceptance or adequacy. Ludwig AI confirms its validity in written English. While not particularly common, its usage spans across scientific, news and media, and formal contexts, suggesting a neutral to professional register. When a stronger expression of approval is needed, alternatives like "that is excellent" may be more suitable. The phrase functions as an evaluative expression, conveying a qualified assessment rather than outright praise.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

that seems adequate

Replaces "appears satisfactory" with a more straightforward term indicating sufficiency.

that looks acceptable

Uses "looks" instead of "appears" and "acceptable" instead of "satisfactory", focusing on visual assessment and approval.

that seems sufficient

Emphasizes that something is enough or adequate for a particular purpose.

that presents itself well

Focuses on the positive impression or presentation of something.

that gives a good impression

Highlights the positive perception or feeling created.

that meets expectations

Indicates that something fulfills the anticipated requirements or standards.

that is up to par

Uses an idiomatic expression to convey that something reaches the expected level of quality.

that holds up well

Suggests that something withstands scrutiny or performs adequately under pressure.

that proves adequate

Focuses on the demonstration or evidence of sufficiency.

that suggests competence

Implies that something indicates skill or ability.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "that appears satisfactory" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider alternatives like "that seems adequate", "that meets the requirements", or "that is deemed sufficient".

When is it appropriate to use "that appears satisfactory"?

Use "that appears satisfactory" when you want to indicate that something meets a basic level of acceptance or adequacy, without necessarily implying complete satisfaction or excellence.

What's the difference between "that appears satisfactory" and "that is excellent"?

"That appears satisfactory" suggests a basic level of acceptance, while "that is excellent" indicates a much higher degree of approval and quality. The former implies adequacy, while the latter implies superiority.

Are there any contexts where "that appears satisfactory" might be too weak of a statement?

Yes, in situations where you want to express strong approval or enthusiasm, "that appears satisfactory" might be too understated. In such cases, stronger alternatives like "that is outstanding" or "that is exceptional" would be more appropriate.