A-OK
adj.capable, hopefulplayful
What it means
Completely satisfactory, safe, or functioning as it should.
Reach for it when giving relaxed reassurance after a check or a period of concern
The engineer inspected the repaired lift and confirmed that it was A-OK.
Choose between these
6- playful
shipshape
tidiness and readiness deserve a jaunty tone
not when Shipshape focuses on orderly condition, not health or emotional well-being.
- everyday
all right
simple reassurance is more important than enthusiasm
not when All right can mean merely adequate, while A-OK signals a clean bill of health.
- everyday
an informal answer needs to sound effortless
not when Fine is easily heard as reluctant when the reassurance must be unmistakable.
- professional
in working order
equipment has been tested and functions correctly
not when The phrase applies to mechanisms, not a person's general well-being.
- professional
a result has met an explicit standard
not when Satisfactory sounds measured and can understate genuine relief.
- professional
sound
inspection has established structural or practical reliability
not when Sound is too technical for cheering up someone after a minor worry.
Said against
3- faulty
- unsatisfactory
- unwell
It naturally appears in
3- everything is A-OK
After the final pressure test, everything is A-OK.
- declared A-OK
The medic examined Rosa's ankle and declared it A-OK.
- still A-OK
The backup battery is still A-OK after six months in storage.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English adjective sense: alternative spelling of A-okay, meaning in good order opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.