DECENT Synonyms: 353 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'decent' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of decent are chaste , modest , and pure . While all these words mean "free from all taint of what is lewd or salacious," modest and decent apply especially to deportment and dress as outward signs of inward chastity or purity. // preferred more modest swimsuits // decent people didn't go to such movies

Q: When is 'chaste' a more appropriate choice than 'decent'?

The meanings of chaste and decent largely overlap; however, chaste primarily implies a refraining from acts or even thoughts or desires that are not virginal or not sanctioned by marriage vows. // they maintained chaste relations

Q: How do 'pure' and 'chaste' relate to one another, in the sense of 'decent'?

Pure differs from chaste in implying innocence and absence of temptation rather than control of one's impulses and actions. // the pure of heart

decent

adjective

ˈdē-sᵊnt

Definition of decent

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word decent distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of decent are chaste, modest, and pure. While all these words mean "free from all taint of what is lewd or salacious," modest and decent apply especially to deportment and dress as outward signs of inward chastity or purity.

preferred more modest swimsuits

decent people didn't go to such movies

When is chaste a more appropriate choice than decent?

The meanings of chaste and decent largely overlap; however, chaste primarily implies a refraining from acts or even thoughts or desires that are not virginal or not sanctioned by marriage vows.

they maintained chaste relations

How do pure and chaste relate to one another, in the sense of decent?

Pure differs from chaste in implying innocence and absence of temptation rather than control of one's impulses and actions.

the pure of heart

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 Austria, under Ralf Rangnick, play fluid, relentless football but Jordan made a decent fist of their first World Cup match, creating nine chances despite having just 37 per cent possession and matching Austria’s 11 shot attempts. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 11 July 2026 American young people are, overwhelmingly, decent and justice-seeking. — Naftali Bennett, Time, 9 July 2026 Soto’s fielding error and a walk threatened to ruin Manaea’s decent start, but Tyler Tolbert’s bunt with two outs and two on amounted to nothing. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 July 2026 This camper features a triangle glass wall on the front for a clear view of your stunning surroundings and plenty of natural light, but still a decent amount of privacy. — Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for decent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decent

Adjective

There’s a difference between a need-to-have and a nice-to-have, though, and both Murgio and Erman Ozguven agree there are good reasons to evacuate further than just a few miles inland.

— Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
On nice days, customers can sit on the rooftop among the outdoor sculpture garden and their meals will be brought to their table.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026

Definition of nice

Adjective

The under-21s returned for pre-season last Monday, initially for testing before their first proper day of training on Thursday.

— Andy Jones, New York Times, 14 July 2026
This is just what Harley had built – an out-of-the-box pro-drag bike complete with slicks, wheelie bars, a hissing air-shifter and a proper multi-stage clutch set-up specifically for the drag strip.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 July 2026

Definition of proper

Adjective

The achievement shows how OpenAI and other AI firms are heavily investing in pure mathematics as a way to benchmark the technology’s ascent towards reasoning—and the strange directions those efforts often take.

— Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 14 July 2026
There were new artists emerging who were sort of pure electronic artists like Kraftwerk and Gary Numan and so on.

— Peter Larsen, Daily News, 14 July 2026

Definition of pure

Adjective

Today, some of the world’s most critical infrastructure sits on the seabed with far less attention, mostly because adequate tech doesn't exist.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 5 July 2026
Employees didn’t take adequate measures to minimize staff travel costs contrary to state policy.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026

Definition of adequate

Adjective

From here, the Manchester City defender sprints into the six-yard box to meet the corner, forcing a good save from Dominik Livakovic, with his team-mates unable to scramble the ball over the line.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Graham, who had turned 71 just two days before passing away on Saturday night, was far younger than many of his Senate colleagues and appeared to have been in good health.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026

Definition of good

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“Decent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decent. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of decent

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