okay

okay — exclamation

1. a word you say when someone asks you to do something or makes a suggestion and y

1.exclamationA1
Definition

a word you say when someone asks you to do something or makes a suggestion and you want to say yes

Example

Okay, I'll pick you up from the station at six.

exclamation showing agreement to a plan

Okay, you can borrow my bicycle for the afternoon.

Common collocations
  • okay then
  • okay fine
  • okay sure
  • say okay
Synonyms
  • alright

    equally common; slightly more informal in British English

  • sure

    sounds more enthusiastic than okay

  • fine

    can sound less willing; implies acceptance rather than enthusiasm

Antonyms
  • no

    direct refusal instead of agreement

Usage Note

Can be repeated ("Okay, okay, I'm coming!") to show slight impatience or urgency.

2. said to show that you have heard what someone told you and you understand it

2.exclamationA2
Definition

said to show that you have heard what someone told you and you understand it

Example

Okay, I see what you mean about the design now.

followed by confirmation of understanding

Okay, so you want me to email the report before noon — got it.

Common collocations
  • okay so
  • okay I see
  • say okay
Synonyms
  • right

    used similarly to show understanding during a conversation

  • got it

    more informal and direct

  • I see

    slightly more formal than okay

Usage Note

Often followed by a restatement of what you understood, to confirm accuracy: 'Okay, so you mean…'

3. said to show that you are ready to start doing something or to move to the next

3.exclamationA2
Definition

said to show that you are ready to start doing something or to move to the next activity

Example

Okay, let us begin the warm-up exercises before the coach arrives for training.

transition signal to start a new activity

Okay, everyone turn to page forty-two in your books.

Common collocations
  • okay let's
  • okay everyone
  • okay then
Synonyms
  • alright

    used identically as a signal to start

  • right

    more common in British English for transitioning

  • now then

    more formal or old-fashioned

Usage Note

Functions like a marker to shift from talking to doing. Common in classrooms, meetings, and group activities.

4. a word you say during a conversation when you need a moment to find the right wo

4.exclamationA1
Definition

a word you say during a conversation when you need a moment to find the right words to continue

Example

I was thinking, okay, that maybe we should paint the kitchen yellow instead.

filler word mid-sentence while thinking

The plan is, okay, we drive to the lake and then rent a boat for the day.

Common collocations
  • okay like
  • okay you know
Synonyms
  • like

    very common filler word, especially in American English

  • you know

    another filler used while thinking

  • well

    used at the start of sentences as a hesitation marker

Usage Note

Does not carry meaning — it simply holds your place in a sentence while you gather your thoughts. More common in casual speech than in writing.

okay — adjective

okay — adverb

okay — verb

okay — noun

Word family

  • OK
    exclamationA1
  • okayed
    verb (past tense)A2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

All four words describe something that meets a basic standard, but they differ in degree and formality. 'Okay' is the most neutral and versatile — it can mean 'good enough,' 'not hurt,' or 'convenient' depending on context. 'Fine' is very similar but can sound slightly more dismissive in conversation ('That's fine' can imply you are settling rather than celebrating). 'Alright' is common in British English and interchangeable with 'okay' in most informal situations, though some style guides still prefer the two-word spelling 'all right' in formal writing. 'Acceptable' is the most formal of the group and is often used in official rules or standards ('an acceptable level of noise'). In casual speech, if someone asks 'How are you?' responding 'I'm okay' suggests you are coping but not great, while 'I'm fine' sounds more positive. If a teacher says your homework is 'acceptable,' it gets a pass but no praise.

okay ↗fine ↗alright ↗acceptable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • okay sign
  • okay gesture
  • thumbs okay

Adverbs

  • perfectly okay
  • just okay
  • absolutely okay
  • not okay

Phrases

  • be okay with
  • say okay to
  • give the okay
  • get the okay

Prepositions

  • okay with
  • okay by

Etymology

American EnglishEnglish

The word 'okay' (usually written as 'OK') first appeared in American newspapers in 1839. It began as a playful abbreviation of 'oll korrect,' a humorous misspelling of 'all correct' that was popular among Boston journalists. The abbreviation might have stayed obscure if not for the 1840 US presidential election, when supporters of Martin Van Buren used 'OK' as a slogan — it stood for 'Old Kinderhook,' his nickname from his hometown in New York. The term spread rapidly and became a permanent part of English. The spelling 'okay' appeared later in the 1800s and is now equally common, especially in British English. Today 'okay' is one of the most recognized words in the world, used across hundreds of languages.