From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsatisfactorysat‧is‧fac‧to‧ry /ˌsætəsˈfæktəri◂/ ●●○ adjectiveGOOD ENOUGHsomething that issatisfactory seems good enough for you, or good enough for a particular situation orpurposeOPP unsatisfactoryHis progress this term has been satisfactory.satisfactory to/foran arrangement that is satisfactory to both sidessatisfactory explanation/answerThere seems to be no satisfactory explanation.perfectly/entirely/wholly satisfactoryNone of the solutions was entirely satisfactory.satisfactory result/outcome/resolution —satisfactorily adverbThe question has not been satisfactorily answered.COLLOCATIONSadverbsvery/highly/most satisfactoryAfter her initial difficulties she has made a very satisfactory recovery.perfectly/quite satisfactoryFor a small amount of cream, a wire whisk is perfectly satisfactory.not entirely/wholly/completelyFrege’s theory is not entirely satisfactory.far from satisfactoryThis system was far from satisfactory for a number of reasons.THESAURUSsatisfactory good enough – often used when somethingreaches a fairly goodstandard, but is not of a high standardHer grades are satisfactory.For a beginner, this camera produces satisfactory results.all right/OK spoken not bad, but not very goodThe meal was all right, but rather expensive.‘How was the film?’ ‘It was OK.’reasonable fairly gooda reasonable standard of livingThe quality of the food was reasonable.acceptable if something isacceptable to you, you think it is good enough and you are willing to take itan acceptable offeran acceptable level of riskThey can't find a solution that is acceptable to both sides.adequate enough inquantity, or of a good enough standard.Adequate sounds ratherformal and is used especially inofficialcontextsan adequate supply of drinking water adequate standards of hygienedecent especially spoken good enough inquality – used especially when something is as good as most other thingsI want my kids to get a decent education.Where can I get a decent cup of coffee?The food’s decent and the service is good.passable satisfactory, but not of the best quality – used especially about food and drink, or someone’sskill at doing something.Passable sounds rather formala passable French wineHis Japanese was passable.a passable imitation of Barack Obamabe up to scratch informal to be of a good enough standardHis work wasn’t up to scratch.None of the hotels they suggested were up to scratch.will do informal to be good enough for a particular purposeAny kind of paper will do.‘How about Ken?’ ‘I suppose he’ll do.’Examples from the Corpussatisfactory•You won't get paid unless your work issatisfactory.•However, to look only at the persons who were theactualdepositors would not besatisfactory.•Thegeneralsanitary situation in Gorazde seemed reasonablysatisfactory.•Nobody could give Donna asatisfactoryanswer to her question.•Theposition wassatisfactory but theSociety facedconsiderableexpenditure inconnection with theMuseum anddonations would be particularlywelcome.•Lynne gotsatisfactorygrades and was offered a place atuniversity.•Adequateorganizationperformance ispossible throughbalancing thenecessity to get out work whilemaintainingmorale at asatisfactorylevel.•There was nosatisfactorymethod of dealing withtrivialcomplaints.•Particularly interms ofslippage theminutes aresometimes less thansatisfactory,recording only the slippage since the last meeting.•How does theanalystdecide whatconstitutes asatisfactoryunit foranalysis?satisfactory result/outcome/resolution•The smoothingrecipedescribed below generally givessatisfactory results and involves only alimited amount of computationaleffort.•All threediabeticpatients had asatisfactory outcome despite the fact that one of them hassevere autonomic neuropathy.•Only 16butterflies were seen but these areseasonalinsects and thisrepresents a verysatisfactory result for one month'ssearch.•The onlysatisfactory resolution is to planfuturevisits in order tocomplete athorough sampling.•A suboptimal ultrasonographic localisation couldexplain lesssatisfactory resultsobtained in some other centres.•Final ratification can bereserved for asatisfactory outcome of thedebate.•There is nosatisfactory resolution of this problem, either conceptually or empirically.•He had beenprepared tocancel anengagement at London's Victoria and Albert Museum if asatisfactory outcome was reached.
