What Does Copacetic Mean? | Definition & Examples

Copacetic is an adjective with a range of positive meanings including “fine,” “very satisfactory,” and “excellent.”

It’s a somewhat old-fashioned slang word, more common in US English than UK English. It’s rarely used in formal or academic writing.

Examples: Copacetic in a sentence
I’d expected the trip to be pretty stressful, but it was all copacetic.

Game night was fun and copacetic until Wayne got angry because his team was losing.

Don’t worry about your exams. Things will be copacetic—you’ve worked hard.

While copacetic is the standard spelling, some variants include copasetic and copesetic. Since the word doesn’t have a clear origin (it’s believed to have originated as slang in the southern US), dictionaries tend to accept these variant spellings as valid.

Everything is copacetic

Everything is copacetic (or everything’s copacetic) is a phrase used to mean “everything’s fine,” “it’s all good,” or “everything’s in order.” It tends to be used to reassure someone that nothing is wrong in a situation where there might have been a problem.

Example: Everything is copacetic in a sentence
I know you’re worried about the launch, but I promise that everything is copacetic.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a synonym of “copacetic”?

Some synonyms for copacetic include:

  • Agreeable
  • Excellent
  • Fine
  • Good
  • Great
  • Outstanding
  • Perfect
  • Satisfactory
  • Wonderful

 

How do I pronounce “copacetic”?

Copacetic has four syllables. It’s pronounced with emphasis on the third syllable: [koh-pah-set-ik].

Is it “copacetic,” “copasetic,” or “copesetic”?

The standard spelling is copacetic. The variant spellings copasetic and copesetic are also listed as acceptable by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, but they’re less common.

The origin of the word is unclear (it’s thought to have originated as slang in the 20th century), which is why various spellings are deemed acceptable.

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Ryan, E. (2023, March 13). What Does Copacetic Mean? | Definition & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved March 25, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/definitions/copacetic/

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Eoghan Ryan

Eoghan has a lot of experience with theses and dissertations at bachelor's, MA, and PhD level. He has taught university English courses, helping students to improve their research and writing.