Acceptable vs Adequate vs Decent vs Good enough

Quando usar cada um em inglês, com significado, registro e exemplos.

Acceptable

Top 2000 (comum) B2 adjective

Adequate

Top 2000 (comum) B2 adjective

Decent

Top 2000 (comum) B2 adjective

Good enough

Acima de 10.000 (menos comum)

	Acceptable	Adequate	Decent	Good enough
Pronúncia	🇬🇧 /["/əkˈseptəbl/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/əkˈseptəbl/"]/	🇬🇧 //ˈædɪkwət// 🇺🇸 //ˈædɪkwɪt//	🇬🇧 /["/ˈdiːsnt/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈdiːsnt/"]/	🇬🇧 //ɡʊd ɪˈnʌf// 🇺🇸 //ɡʊd ɪˈnʌf//
Significado	Okay or good enough to be used.	Good enough for what is needed.	Good enough; acceptable.	Satisfactory, but not perfect.
Exemplo	The noise level in the library is not acceptable for studying.	The food was adequate, but I expected something better.	She has a decent understanding of the topic.	The meal was good enough for me, though it could have used more flavor.
Registro	Neutro	Neutro	Neutro	Neutro
Quão comum	Top 2000 (comum)	Top 2000 (comum)	Top 2000 (comum)	Acima de 10.000 (menos comum)
Nível CEFR	B2	B2	B2	-
Classe gramatical	adjective	adjective	adjective
Colocações	be, prove, seem, highly, very, completely, to, the boundaries of acceptable…, the bounds of acceptable…, the limits of acceptable…, be, prove, seem, highly, very, completely, to, the boundaries of acceptable…, the bounds of acceptable…, the limits of acceptable…	adequate resources, adequate solution, adequate response	be, look, really, very, perfectly, to, be, very, really, perfectly, do the decent thing, be, look, really, very, perfectly, to	good enough for government work, good enough to eat, good enough to go, good enough to pass, good enough to satisfy
Antônimos	unacceptable, unsatisfactory, poor	inadequate, insufficient	poor, subpar, inferior	-
Erros comuns	Confused with 'acceptable' vs 'accepted'., Using 'acceptable' as a noun incorrectly., Overusing 'acceptable' in contexts that require stronger words like 'excellent' or 'outstanding'.	Confused with 'sufficient' - 'adequate' implies minimum quality, while 'sufficient' means enough in quantity., Using 'adequate' too casually, as it is more formal., Mispronouncing it, especially in unstressed syllables.	Using 'decent' to mean 'excellent' instead of 'acceptable'., Confusing it with 'descent' or 'recent'.	Used in overly formal contexts where higher standards are expected., Confused with 'good' as a standalone adjective., Misused as a synonym for 'excellent'.
Notas de uso	Used in both spoken and written contexts to indicate something that meets necessary standards. It can be formal in academic contexts and more casual in everyday conversations. Avoid in circumstances that require high standards or exceptional quality.	Use 'adequate' when something meets the necessary requirements, but is not exceptional. It's often used in formal contexts, like reports or evaluations.	Use 'decent' when describing something that meets basic standards but isn't exceptional. It's suitable for most contexts but may sound too casual in very formal situations.	Used to express that something meets the minimum requirements. Appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, but less suitable for situations requiring high standards.

Perguntas frequentes: Acceptable vs Adequate vs Decent vs Good enough

Qual é a diferença entre Acceptable, Adequate, Decent e Good enough?

Acceptable: Okay or good enough to be used. Adequate: Good enough for what is needed. Decent: Good enough; acceptable. Good enough: Satisfactory, but not perfect.

Pode mostrar um exemplo de cada?

Acceptable: The noise level in the library is not acceptable for studying. Adequate: The food was adequate, but I expected something better. Decent: She has a decent understanding of the topic. Good enough: The meal was good enough for me, though it could have used more flavor.

Posso usar Acceptable, Adequate, Decent e Good enough de forma intercambiável?

Nem sempre. Acceptable, Adequate, Decent e Good enough são relacionadas e às vezes se sobrepõem, mas diferem em registro, frequência e uso, então trocar uma pela outra pode mudar o sentido ou o tom. Veja as diferenças acima antes de substituir.