Okay Definition and Meaning

By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Published on March 28, 2024

Okay refers to acceptable but not exceptional; satisfactory. e.g., The movie was okay, but I wouldn't watch it again.

Okay Definitions

Acceptable in quality or degree.

The food at the cafeteria is okay for a quick lunch.

Used to express agreement or consent.

Okay, I'll help you with your project.

In a satisfactory physical or mental condition.

After the accident, he asked if everyone was okay.

Denoting the absence of harm or danger.

Everyone was okay after the earthquake, thankfully.

Expressing nonchalance or lack of enthusiasm.

He was okay about the changes, not too thrilled.

Indicating the act of approving or authorizing something.

The manager okayed the purchase order.

Used to introduce a statement or suggestion.

Okay, let's consider the other option.

Used to check if someone understands or accepts something.

You need to finish this by tomorrow, okay?

Used as a noun to signify approval or permission.

We're waiting for the final okay from the boss.

Fairly good; not bad.

She felt okay after taking the medicine.

Variant of OK1.

Alternative spelling of OK

Satifactory; agreeable; pleasant; as, things are okay; he's an okay guy.

An endorsement; approval; permission; as, they gave us the okay to go ahead.

To approve; as, the boss okayed my proposal.

An endorsement;

They gave us the O.K. to go ahead

Give sanction to;

I approve of his educational policies

Being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition;

An all-right movie

The passengers were shaken up but are all right

Is everything all right?

Everything's fine

Things are okay

Dinner and the movies had been fine

Another minute I'd have been fine

In a satisfactory or adequate manner;

She'll do okay on her own

Held up all right under pressure

Okay Snonyms

Approved

Accepted formally or officially.

The new policy was finally approved by the board.

Acceptable

Adequate in quality; meeting the minimum requirements.

The report was acceptable, so it passed the review.

Fine

Of high quality; all right.

The dining experience was fine, albeit a bit pricey.

Adequate

Sufficient to satisfy a requirement or meet a need.

His apology was adequate, so I forgave him.

Agreeable

Pleasing to the individual preferences or tastes.

The terms of the contract are agreeable to both parties.

Permissible

Allowed or permitted, especially by rules or regulations.

The modifications you made are permissible under the new guidelines.

All right

Satisfactory, but not exceptionally good.

The weather today is all right for a picnic.

Satisfactory

Fulfilling expectations or needs; acceptable, though not outstanding.

Her performance was satisfactory, meeting the project's goals.

Decent

Conforming with generally accepted standards of respectable behavior.

The accommodations were decent for the price paid.

Passable

Just good enough to be acceptable; not good, but not bad either.

The actor's accent was passable, though not entirely convincing.

Okay Idioms & Phrases

Okay to go

Ready or acceptable to proceed.

Once you finish the safety check, it's okay to go.

Okay by me

Acceptable or agreeable to me.

If you want to start early, that's okay by me.

Make it okay

To validate or legitimize something.

If the boss says it's fine, then that makes it okay.

That's okay

Used to express forgiveness or understanding.

You forgot my book? That's okay, bring it next time.

It's okay to ask

Encouragement that it's acceptable to seek information or help.

If you're unsure about the instructions, it's okay to ask.

Give the okay

To give approval or consent.

The manager gave the okay for the extra budget expenditure.

Just okay

Only moderately good; not very good.

The movie was just okay, I expected more.

Okay for now

Sufficient or acceptable for the current situation.

This solution is okay for now, but we need a long-term plan.

Not okay

Unacceptable or not satisfactory.

Showing up an hour late is not okay.

Is it okay if...?

A polite way to ask for permission or express a preference.

Is it okay if I open the window?

Okay, let's go

Expression used to signal readiness or agreement to proceed.

Everyone's here? Okay, let's go.

That sounds okay

Expression of tentative agreement or approval.

You want to reschedule for Friday? That sounds okay.

Okay with you?

A phrase to inquire about someone's agreement or approval.

We plan to leave at 5, okay with you?

Everything's okay

Assurance that there are no problems or concerns.

Don't worry about the noise; everything's okay.

Okay for you, okay for me

Mutual agreement or acceptance between parties.

If that arrangement works for you, it's okay for me too.

Okay to proceed

Permission or confirmation to continue with an action.

Once you get the signal, it's okay to proceed.

Make everything okay

To resolve issues or restore a situation to a satisfactory state.

A sincere apology might make everything okay.

Okay in the end

Turns out satisfactory or acceptable after some uncertainty.

Despite the setbacks, everything was okay in the end.

Okay in my book

Considered acceptable or satisfactory by the speaker.

If you complete your work on time, it's okay in my book.

Are we okay?

A question to confirm mutual understanding or the resolution of a problem.

After our argument, I just want to know, are we okay?

Okay Example Sentences

"Is it okay if I leave early today?" she asked.

They thought the plan was okay and went ahead with it.

The new policy seems okay, but it might need some adjustments.

"Okay, I understand," she said after the explanation.

If it's okay with you, we'll meet at your place.

The food tasted okay, but I've had better.

The movie was just okay; it didn't live up to the hype.

His homework was okay, but he could have put in more effort.

The concert was okay, but the sound quality could have been better.

It's okay to ask for help when you need it.

The weather is okay for a walk, not too hot or cold.

The room's condition was okay, clean but a bit outdated.

Her performance in the play was okay, nothing spectacular.

"Okay, let's get started," the teacher said, beginning the lesson.

"Are we okay after yesterday?" he asked, concerned about their argument.

Common Curiosities

Why is it called okay?

The word "okay" is believed to have originated from the abbreviation "OK," which could stand for "oll korrect," a playful misspelling of "all correct" used in the 1830s.

How do we divide okay into syllables?

Okay is divided into syllables as o-kay.

How is okay used in a sentence?

Okay is used to express agreement, acknowledgment, or that something is satisfactory, e.g., "The plan sounds okay to me."

What is the root word of okay?

The root of "okay" is debated, but it's commonly associated with the abbreviation "OK."

What is the verb form of okay?

The verb form of okay is also "okay," used when approving or sanctioning something, e.g., "The manager okayed the request."

How many syllables are in okay?

There are two syllables in the word "okay."

What is a stressed syllable in okay?

The stressed syllable in "okay" is the second syllable, -kay.

What is the singular form of okay?

The singular form of okay is "okay."

Is okay a noun or adjective?

Okay can be both a noun and an adjective depending on the context.

Is okay a countable noun?

As a noun, okay can be countable when referring to instances of approval.

Which determiner is used with okay?

Determiners like "the" can be used with okay when referring to a specific instance of approval, e.g., "The okay was given."

What is the pronunciation of okay?

Okay is pronounced as /oʊˈkeɪ/.

What is another term for okay?

Another term for okay is "acceptable."

What is the plural form of okay?

Okay does not have a plural form when used as an adjective, adverb, interjection, or verb. As a noun, it can be pluralized to "okays" when referring to multiple instances of approval.

Is okay an adverb?

Yes, okay can function as an adverb to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

Is okay a collective noun?

Okay is not typically used as a collective noun.

Is the word okay imperative?

Okay can be used in an imperative manner, especially when giving approval or permission.

Is the word “okay” a Direct object or an Indirect object?

Okay can serve as a direct object when something is being approved, e.g., "I gave the okay."

What is the opposite of okay?

The opposite of okay could be "unacceptable" or "unsatisfactory."

Is okay an abstract noun?

When used as a noun to refer to the concept of approval, okay can be considered an abstract noun.

Is the okay term a metaphor?

Okay is not commonly used as a metaphor but rather as a straightforward expression of approval or satisfaction.

Which article is used with okay?

The definite article "the" is often used when referring to a specific instance of approval, e.g., "The okay from the manager."

What part of speech is okay?

Okay can be an adjective, adverb, interjection, noun, or verb depending on its use in a sentence.

Is okay a vowel or consonant?

The word "okay" starts with a vowel sound.

Which vowel is used before okay?

No specific vowel is consistently used before okay; it depends on the context of the sentence.

Is okay a negative or positive word?

Okay is generally neutral but can lean towards positive when indicating approval or satisfaction.

Is the word okay Gerund?

Okay does not have a gerund form.

Which preposition is used with okay?

Prepositions like "with" are commonly used with okay, e.g., "Is it okay with you?"

Which conjunction is used with okay?

Conjunctions are not typically used directly with okay but may connect clauses where okay is used.

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Author Spotlight

Written by

Tayyaba Rehman

Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

Co-written by

Fiza Rafique

Fiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.