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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decent
This was a decent start by Yu Darvish backed up by six relievers throwing 4⅓ scoreless innings.
—
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025
Glad there are some decent people in this world.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
On the bright side, non-accruals (loans that are delinquent for a prolonged period, usually 90 days) were stable, and its credit quality remains in decent shape.
—Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
In addition to possibly overtaking Sinners, Weapons, and even Final Destination Bloodlines in terms of lifetime gross at the 2025 box office, Last Rites has a decent shot of clearing each of the other films in the Conjuring universe by the time its theatrical run is through.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decent
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Sep. 2025
Glad there are some decent people in this world.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
On the bright side, non-accruals (loans that are delinquent for a prolonged period, usually 90 days) were stable, and its credit quality remains in decent shape.
—Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
In addition to possibly overtaking Sinners, Weapons, and even Final Destination Bloodlines in terms of lifetime gross at the 2025 box office, Last Rites has a decent shot of clearing each of the other films in the Conjuring universe by the time its theatrical run is through.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decent
Adjective
-
Giving Wickham a nice holiday tan would be a bridge too far for the genteel world of Jane Austen.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Some decisions are prudent, such as the Las Vegas Raiders to defeat the New England Patriots at a nice underdog price.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That would be the honest, fair and honorable thing to do.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Sep. 2025
-
This reversal deeply disrespects every honorable soldier who's had our Stars and Stripes draped over their casket as Taps play in the background.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
After the 1-0 win, Bright spoke to the media about being ‘proper English’.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
-
The proper name for the show is IAA Mobility 2025, short for Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Gerald Genta Minute Repeater A pure minute repeater – without other high watchmaking functions as part of a grand-complication package – is a rare thing.—
Carol Besler,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Invisible pollutants unleashed To simulate real-world conditions, the researchers placed unused masks in beakers of ultra-pure water and left them at room temperature for 24 hours.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That said, there’s a growing consensus among industry participants that quality data is one of the key bottlenecks to enterprises seeing adequate returns on their investments into AI.—
Lawrence Wintermeyer,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Lighting and sound systems have grown exponentially larger, and adequate parking is still a concern.—
Randy Mason,
Kansas City Star,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But all friends need to be honest with each other, to tell each other home truths when it’s needed, to confront those awkward moments without fear of the reaction.—
Steve Sedgwick,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
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But when those larger firms start to adopt similar habits—open forums, early interventions, honest check-ins—things change fast.—
Stephan Lendi,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In early August, the Daily Caller reported more ethical concerns.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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The Boone and Crockett Club is a leading voice for ethical, legal, and restrained hunting in North America, and often recalls that managed, legal hunting is responsible for the return of depleted wildlife populations in America a century ago.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
These polite pleasantries waste precious attention.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Maikol Gabriel López Lizano was two years older than Acosta Peña, warm and polite.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decent. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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