1
as in nice
conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue
as decent and kind a couple as you could ever hope to meet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in honorable
following the accepted rules of moral conduct
demanded nothing less than decent behavior by the troops serving overseas
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in proper
following the established traditions of refined society and good taste
decent clothing for someone attending a funeral, if only as a friend of a friend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in pure
free from any trace of the coarse or indecent
students were warned that their skits could be funny but still had to remain decent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in adequate
of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards
he did a decent job on the project, but there's still room for improvement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of decent
Thousands of working people in New York City live in shelters, unable to afford apartments despite holding down decent-paying jobs.
—
German Lopez, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
And Android Phone Sikandar recorded decent box office numbers for the following working days - its fourth, fifth, and sixth ones at the ticket windows.
—Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The White Lotus season 3 is full of decent individual moments and some good individual performances, but the way this was scripted was awful with predictable plotlines, bizarre tropes and characters that ultimately went nowhere interesting for the duration of the season.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
That Reno is in the top three underscores Climate Central's point that rainfall intensity is rising in places that are generally dry, not just those that get at least a decent amount of annual rainfall.
—Kristal Dixon, Axios, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decent
German Lopez, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
And Android Phone Sikandar recorded decent box office numbers for the following working days - its fourth, fifth, and sixth ones at the ticket windows.
—Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The White Lotus season 3 is full of decent individual moments and some good individual performances, but the way this was scripted was awful with predictable plotlines, bizarre tropes and characters that ultimately went nowhere interesting for the duration of the season.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
That Reno is in the top three underscores Climate Central's point that rainfall intensity is rising in places that are generally dry, not just those that get at least a decent amount of annual rainfall.
—Kristal Dixon, Axios, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decent
Adjective
-
There’s a place downtown called Soul Classics that’s really nice, like street-wear stuff.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2025
-
Not easy to do, but nice to come through tonight.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Of course, Greg/Gary is an honorable guy who would never bankrupt Belinda to teach her a lesson about greed and blackmail.—
Jodi Guglielmi,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2025
-
Some Union soldiers attended the event, and two Union officers delivered orations, each focusing on the topic of reconciliation between the honorable foes.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Just cut the tubing to the proper length and wrap it around the cables.—
Clint Davis,
People.com,
20 Apr. 2025
-
By advocating for proper funding, schools will be able to take innovative approaches to increasing literacy rates, as well as seeing gains in math.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Booker seems like the top pure guard in this year's draft class, making his overall positional value lower.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Kiper calls him the best pure guard in the draft, a road-grader in the run game.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Production values are adequate, apart from the occasional iffy digital effect.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Concerns have been raised about DOGE operatives, many with ties to Musk's companies, gaining access to sensitive government data without adequate oversight or experience.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The album is raw, honest, and deeply personal—a sonic letter to women and their stories, both told and untold.—
Nour Ezzedine,
Billboard,
10 Apr. 2025
-
This accountability between sustainability initiatives and resilience among uncertainty is sparking more honest conversations, leading to more realistic goal setting and, ultimately, more meaningful progress.—
Sarah Jones,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Many organizations are actively working on ethical AI frameworks to address bias and ensure fair, transparent decision-making processes.—
Chaitanya Laxminarayana,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The ethical lines are blurry and the decision-making is messy, but totally thrilling.—
Annabel Gutterman,
Time,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Wear old clothes and shoes Bring flashlights Watch for sharp objects Avoid food waste Wash your hands Be polite and cooperate if you are asked to leave The Fresno Bee 559-441-6005 Fernanda Galan covers Central Valley and California news as The Fresno Bee’s service journalism reporter.—
Fernanda Galan,
Sacbee.com,
16 Apr. 2025
-
Which felt like a polite way of saying the same thing.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decent. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share