alright

1. 1
   acceptableadjective

   Alternative form of all right; satisfactory, or in acceptable order. Many style guides consider this spelling nonstandard in formal writing.

   "The hotel was alright, but I wouldn't stay there again," she said.

   "Is it alright if I park here for a few minutes?"

   Note

   Writing all and right as one word is an old habit: Old English had a parallel compound, eallriht, and Cantus, Songs and Fancies (1662) already prints "You have my heart alright." James Joyce and Langston Hughes both used the spelling. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 5 facts

   • Old English had the parallel compound eallriht. en.wiktionary.org
   • Cantus, Songs and Fancies was first published in 1662. theses.gla.ac.uk
   • The 1662 collection contains the quoted wording and spelling. en.wiktionary.org
   • James Joyce used the spelling alright. fadedpage.com
   • Langston Hughes used the spelling alright. archive.blogs.harvard.edu
2. 2
   agreeinginterjectioncolloquial

   Used to show that you have understood or accept what someone has said.

   "Dinner's at seven." "Alright, I'll be there."

   "You'll need to fill out this form first." "Alright, hand it over."

   SimilarOK, fine, sure, right

3. 3
   adverb

   Another spelling of all right: fairly well or acceptably, or, for emphasis, certainly. Often considered nonstandard in formal writing.

   "We played alright in the first half, but we fell apart after the break."

   "Is he angry?" "Oh, he's angry alright."

   UsageFormal writing usually prefers all right. Added after a statement, it means certainly: he's angry alright.

   Note

   The adverb does two different jobs. Describing how something is done, it means fairly well, as in Langston Hughes's "You did alright in your day"; added to back up a statement, usually stressed, it means certainly, confirming rather than describing, as in Joyce's "You have it alright" in Finnegans Wake.

4. 4
   greetinginterjectioncolloquialUK

   A casual greeting, used to say hello or to ask how someone is.

   "Alright, mate? Haven't seen you down the pub in ages."

   She put her head round the door, said "Alright?" and sat down.

   UsageAnswer briefly, often with alright back or not bad; it is rarely a real question about your health.

   Similarhello, hi, hey, hiya, howdy

   Note

   In British casual speech it works as a greeting rather than a real question: it does the job of hello, so a short greeting back is enough and nobody expects an account of your health.

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