accepted

Accepted is the past participle of accept and an adjective used to describe something that has earned general approval, belief, or recognition. It can refer to ideas or standards that are widely regarded as valid or correct, such as an accepted theory or an accepted standard. It can also denote that something has been formally received or admitted, for example an accepted offer, an accepted application, or an accepted student to a program. In contract law, acceptance is the act by which a party agrees to an offer, forming a binding agreement; once an offer is accepted, the terms are typically enforceable.

Etymologically, accepted derives from Latin acceptus meaning “taken toward oneself,” passed through Old French accepter before entering English. Related forms include accept, acceptance, and acceptable. The word often collocates with adjectives like widely, generally, and standard, as in “the widely accepted interpretation” or “an accepted practice.” It contrasts with unaccepted or unacceptable, and with more critical terms like disputed or rejected in contexts where approval is not universal.

In practice, the sense of accepted can vary by field. In science and academia, an accepted model or theory reflects broad consensus at a given time, while remaining open to revision with new evidence. In everyday use, something is called accepted when it has gained social or institutional validation, even if it is not universally flawless. The term thus sits at the intersection of consensus, legitimacy, and reception.