respectable

1 of 2

adjective

re·​spect·​able ri-ˈspek-tə-bəl How to pronounce respectable (audio)
1
: worthy of respect : estimable
2
: decent or correct in character or behavior : proper
3
a
: fair in size or quantity
a respectable amount
b
: moderately good : tolerable
4
: fit to be seen : presentable
respectable clothes
respectability noun
respectableness noun
respectably adverb

respectable

2 of 2

noun

: a respectable person

Examples of respectable in a Sentence

Adjective She comes from a very respectable family. no respectable dietician would advise people to eat just one kind of food
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.
Adjective
Acceleration is respectable, considering the car is close to 4,700 pounds. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 13 Dec. 2024 But Laughton, who has a respectable 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 30 games, has been identified by Flyers management as an important culture-setter. Kevin Kurz, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
Shaken respectables thought the Paris Commune had crossed the Atlantic. Sean Wilentz, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2017 See all Example Sentences for respectable 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1770, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of respectable was in 1603

Dictionary Entries Near respectable

Cite this Entry

“Respectable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/respectable. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

respectable

adjective
re·​spect·​able
ri-ˈspek-tə-bəl
1
: worthy of respect : reputable
2
: decent or correct in character or behavior : proper
respectable people
3
: fair in size, quality, or quantity
a respectable amount of money
4
: fit to be seen : presentable
respectable clothes
respectability
-ˌspek-tə-ˈbil-ət-ē
noun
respectableness
-ˈspek-tə-bəl-nəs
noun
respectably
-blē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on respectable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!