Is 'alright' acceptable in formal English?

[Tdol]

'Alright' appears in many dictionaries nowadays. Can we use it anywhere?

 

[Will]

I think that 'alright' is fine. Though, when I'm writing I use 'all right' because Word thinks it's correct, and 'alright' is incorrect.

I think that's the debate you were looking for. I might be a missing an angle here, but, oh well.

 

[Tdol]

Word is seriously dodgy on language issues. The grammar check drives me up the wqall.

Some dictionaries, like Cobuild, accept it at face value, while the OED questions it. ;-)

 

[Will]

Well, when dictionaries cannot come to a consensus, and both mean the same thing, than I don't think it really matters which one you use.

BTW, I hate seeing those little squiggly red lines, therefore I try to conform to Word's dictionary if I'm not sure. Although, if I know I'm right, I just ignore it.

 

[Tdol]

I wouldn't mark it wrong. I think it's fine. ;-)