alright

adverb or adjective

al·​right (ˌ)ȯl-ˈrīt How to pronounce alright (audio)
ˈȯl-ˌrīt
: all right
If people stay strong and keep pushing we'll be alright.Keith Ellison
Alright, I give in.Sallie Tisdale
Alright already, get in the squad car and solve the darn crime.Ken Tucker
It's cheap, alright.Chris Hodenfield
all right or alright?: Usage Guide

Although the spelling alright is more than a century and a half old, 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. Alright is less common than all right but is frequently found in informal writing and fictional dialogue.

Starting at a slower pace is perfectly alright. Alia Haley
"Alright, it is a bargain. I will help you." Harold Bell Wright

It is sometimes also used in more formal writing.

The first two years of the medical school were alright. Gertrude Stein

Examples of alright in a Sentence

the audition for the orchestra position seemed to go alright, but one never knows alright, you can buy me lunch, but next time it's my treat she passed the test alright—she had the highest score in the class an alright movie, but I wouldn't pay to see it again we got the plane's nose back up, and after that we were alright
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The battery life is only alright, and there's no auto-pause or adjustable EQ. WIRED, 9 Oct. 2024 Sandals in the club are alright, alright, alright, according to Camila Alves McConaughey. Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024 Fran Tirado: So, the kids are not alright, once again. Fran Tirado, Them, 15 Oct. 2024 The former goes alright; the latter ends up with Freddy tied to a chair with a machete pointed at him. Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for alright 

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of alright was in 1865

Dictionary Entries Near alright

Cite this Entry

“Alright.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alright. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

alright

adverb or adjective
al·​right ȯl-ˈrīt How to pronounce alright (audio)
ˈȯl-ˌrīt

More from Merriam-Webster on alright

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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