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
At least half of them appeared to be Steelers fans, dressed in black and gold and roaring whenever their team did something decent.
—
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2025
Lucas, who controversially transferred from Wisconsin, is also a decent bet.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
Burnley Just the 13 signings already this summer for Burnley, who, despite eventually losing 3-0 at Spurs, put up a pretty decent and encouraging display.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
But considering how little production the Royals got out of the right-field spot in the first two months of the season, 10 home runs is a decent number.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decent
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2025
Lucas, who controversially transferred from Wisconsin, is also a decent bet.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
Burnley Just the 13 signings already this summer for Burnley, who, despite eventually losing 3-0 at Spurs, put up a pretty decent and encouraging display.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
But considering how little production the Royals got out of the right-field spot in the first two months of the season, 10 home runs is a decent number.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decent
Adjective
-
Both Trejo and Crowley rode in the 2025 Centennial Tucson Rodeo, a nice mirroring of the agency’s own 100-year history.—
Suzanne Wright,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
-
The extra dose of corn flour brought a nice sweetness, and the new recipe stuck.—
Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Getting an honorable discharge at the height of the Vietnam War was a blessing, as far as I was concerned.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
20 Aug. 2025
-
An honorable transfer happened with his remains arriving at the Indianapolis International Airport aboard an American Airlines flight on Aug. 15, 2025.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Blackwood recently went to a hardware store where an employee had become known for her ability to mix a proper Carolina blue, and bought new paint.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
-
To get the cast and crew in the proper headspace for filming the crime thriller, Caron hosted a Portland-area screening of John Cassavetes’ Gloria (1980).—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The shot was clean with a bold recovery, just like a pure Mickelson moment.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Adeleye was outclassed from a pure boxing standpoint, but his heart was on display.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Consequently, using traditional detect-and-respond reactive security tools is no longer an adequate defensive strategy.—
Will Townsend,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
-
The Department of Homeland Security was planning to deport people apprehended on U.S. soil to third countries, often without adequate procedures or legal justifications.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Find two people, no more, who can be brutally honest with you, yet love you enough to speak gently.—
Pankaj Vasani,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
The point is to be honest with parents and the people tasked with running our schools about how the system is doing. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
As a result, many have already experienced issues such as privacy violations, systemic failures, inaccurate predictions, and ethical violations.—
Joe McKendrick,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Improving transparency starts with a commitment to open communication, ethical leadership, and meaningful public engagement.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The pain of staying polite is losing the sale to someone bolder, faster, and clearer.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
-
But each polite knockback and odd digression throws out at least one casually sublime spark.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
17 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decent. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share