good enough for a particular purposesynonymacceptablea satisfactory explanation/answer/solution/conclusionThe work is satisfactory but not outstanding.The existing law is not entirely/wholly satisfactory.A bonus will be paid on satisfactory completion of the contract.Her condition after the operation was described as ‘satisfactory’.oppositeunsatisfactoryOxford Collocations Dictionaryverbsappear,be,look,…adverbhighly,most,very,…prepositiontoSeefull entryWord Originlate Middle English (in the sense ‘leading to the atonement of sin’): from Old French satisfactoire or medieval Latin satisfactorius, from Latin satisfacere ‘to content’, from satis ‘enough’ + facere ‘make’. The current senses date from the mid 17th cent.Word Familysatisfactionnoun(≠dissatisfaction)satisfactoryadjective(≠unsatisfactory)satisfyverbsatisfyingadjective(≠unsatisfying)satisfiedadjective(≠dissatisfied)(≠unsatisfied)Extra examplesThe arrangement has proved mutually satisfactory.The results were not entirely satisfactory.We hope this proposal is satisfactory to you.I hope the dispute will soon come to a satisfactory conclusion.The existing law is not wholly satisfactory.Their work is satisfactory but not outstanding.You haven’t yet given us a satisfactory explanation.
See satisfactory in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishSee satisfactory in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
