Adjacent Words

Respectable definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RESPECT'ABLE, a.
1. Possessing the worth or qualities which deserve or command respect; worth of esteem and honor; as a respectable citizen; respectable company.
No government, any more than an individual, will long be respected, without being truly respectable.
2. In popular language, this word is much used to express what is moderate in degree of excellence on in number, but not despicable. We say, a respectable discourse or performance, a respectable audience, a respectable number of citizens convened.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: characterized by socially or conventionally acceptable morals; "a respectable woman" [ant: unrespectable]
2: deserving of esteem and respect; "all respectable companies give guarantees"; "ruined the family's good name" [syn: estimable, good, honorable, respectable]
3: large in amount or extent or degree; "it cost a considerable amount"; "a goodly amount"; "received a hefty bonus"; "a respectable sum"; "a tidy sum of money"; "a sizable fortune" [syn: goodly, goodish, healthy, hefty, respectable, sizable, sizeable, tidy]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Date: 1599 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 II. noun Date: 1814 a respectable person

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 deserving respect. 2 a of fair social standing. b having the qualities necessary for such standing. 3 honest and decent in conduct etc. 4 of some merit or importance. 5 tolerable, passable, fairly good or competent (a respectable try). 6 (of activities, clothes, etc.) presentable; befitting a respectable person. 7 reasonably good in condition or appearance. 8 appreciable in number, size, amount, etc. 9 primly conventional. Derivatives: respectably adv.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Respectable Re*spect"a*ble (-?-b'l), a. [F. respectable, LL. respectabilis.] 1. Worthy of respect; fitted to awaken esteem; deserving regard; hence, of good repute; not mean; as, a respectable citizen. ``The respectable quarter of Sicca.'' --J. H. Newman. No government, any more than an individual, will long be respected, without being truly respectable. --Madison. 2. Moderate in degree of excellence or in number; as, a respectable performance; a respectable audience. --Re*spect"a*ble*ness,n. -- Re*spect"a*bly, adv.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Someone or something that is respectable is approved of by society and considered to be morally correct. He came from a perfectly respectable middle-class family... ADJ • respectably She's respectably dressed in jeans and sweatshirt. ADV • respectability If she divorced Tony, she would lose the respectability she had as Mrs Tony Tatterton. 2. You can say that something is respectable when you mean that it is good enough or acceptable. ...investments that offer respectable rates of return... = decent ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Estimable, honorable, worthy, considerable. 2. Mediocre, moderate. 3. Reputable, honest, worthy.

Moby Thesaurus

Christian, OK, acceptable, adequate, admissible, all right, appreciable, appropriate, becoming, befitting, better than nothing, betwixt and between, blameless, chaste, clean, comely, conforming, considerable, correct, creditable, decent, decorous, demure, dignified, done, dull, erect, esteemed, estimable, ethical, fair, fair to middling, fairish, fate, full of integrity, genteel, good, good enough, goodish, goodly, held in esteem, high-minded, high-principled, highly esteemed, highly regarded, highly reputed, highly respectable, honest, honorable, honored, immaculate, in favor, in good odor, in high favor, indifferent, innocent, insipid, inviolate, irreproachable, just, lackluster, law-abiding, law-loving, law-revering, manly, mediocre, medium, meritorious, middling, moderate, modest, moral, namby-pamby, nice, noble, not amiss, not bad, not half bad, not so bad, of a kind, of a sort, of sorts, okay, passable, presentable, prestigious, pretty good, principled, proper, pure, reasonable, refined, reputable, reputed, respected, revered, reverend, right, right-minded, righteous, satisfactory, seemly, sensible, significant, sizable, sizeable, smart, so-so, spotless, stainless, sterling, substantial, sufficient, suitable, tedious, tidy, tolerable, true-dealing, true-devoted, true-disposing, true-souled, true-spirited, truehearted, unblemished, uncorrupt, uncorrupted, undefiled, unexceptionable, unimpeachable, unobjectionable, unspotted, unstained, unsullied, untarnished, upright, uprighteous, upstanding, vapid, venerable, venerated, virtuous, well-thought-of, wishy-washy, workmanlike, worshipful, worthy, yeomanly