All right means acceptable, satisfactory, or okay. When your teacher asks if you understand the math homework and you say “all right,” you're confirming that you get it. When your mom asks how your sandwich tastes and you shrug and say “it's all right,” you mean it's decent but nothing special.

The phrase works in several ways. You might ask “Are you all right?” when a friend trips on the playground, checking if they're unhurt. A parent might say “All right, let's go” to signal it's time to leave. Students often hear “All right, class” when a teacher wants everyone's attention.

All right suggests something is good enough, even if not perfect. An “all right” grade means you passed but didn't excel. An “all right” day wasn't terrible or wonderful. The phrase captures that middle ground between bad and great.

People sometimes spell it as one word, alright, but most teachers and editors prefer the two-word version all right in formal writing. Either way, when someone says things are all right, they're telling you not to worry: everything is acceptable, manageable, or under control.