so-so

Examples

• All

• In the years prior to our affair, our marriage was so-so, sometimes bad, and occasionally good.

  Blog text (19)

• I've always felt so-so about office work.

  Match Point (2005)

• I had a so-so burger.

  Fiction book (2001)

• The smoked sable was only so-so, but the company was a pleasure.

  Fiction book (1998)

• The veterans pow wow was so-so; it seemed smaller this year.

  Academic text (2007)

• The movie received so-so reviews from critics, which disappointed the director.

• Her performance in the competition was so-so, failing to impress the judges.

• Although the restaurant had a nice atmosphere, the food was just so-so and not worth the price.

Synonyms

F

fine

vsso-so

∞ 1.0

In good enough condition so no one needs to worry

is less positive, meaning neither good nor bad

M

mediocre

vsso-so

109 4.8

Only average in quality and not very good

has identical meaning but uses different wording

O

ok

vsso-so

106 1.0

Good enough but not very good

is more neutral, meaning neither good nor bad

S

satisfactory

vsso-so

81 2.3

Good enough to meet a need but not very good

is a more neutral label meaning neither good nor bad

I

indifferent

vsso-so

5 4.4

Only average and not very good

expresses the same middle quality using other words

M

middling

vsso-so

1 4.6

Having average quality, neither very good nor very bad

conveys the same middle quality with a different phrase

F

fair to middling

vsso-so

• Archaic

1 6.9

Medium quality, neither very good nor very bad

states the same neutral quality but with other wording

Antonyms

T

terrible

∞ 1.0

Very bad or unpleasant and often serious

E

excellent

∞ 1.0

Very good and better than most similar things

How Good

excellent

∞ 1.0

good

∞ 1.0

so-so

21 3.0

mediocre

109 4.8

poor

838 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology