as in decent
of average to below average quality
a so-so production of a great play
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in good
in a satisfactory way
I think I did so-so on the test
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of so-so
The Editors, Town & Country, 4 Mar. 2023
His results, both in the big leagues and the minors over the past two seasons, have been so-so at best.
—Nick Piecoro, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2023
Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Nov. 2025
And solid exit scores among moviegoers are more than making up for so-so reviews, including a B+ CinemaScore and an 80 percent audience ranking on Rotten Tomatoes.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 15 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for so-so
Adjective
Things go from meh to worse when her best friend is laid off and her so-so relationship takes an unexpected and life-altering twist.
—The Editors, Town & Country, 4 Mar. 2023
His results, both in the big leagues and the minors over the past two seasons, have been so-so at best.
—Nick Piecoro, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2023
Adverb
Dylan Cease’s so-so walk year doesn’t appear to have cost him in free agency.
—Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Nov. 2025
And solid exit scores among moviegoers are more than making up for so-so reviews, including a B+ CinemaScore and an 80 percent audience ranking on Rotten Tomatoes.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 15 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for so-so
Recent Examples of Synonyms for so-so
Adjective
-
The Dolphins had a decent, although not necessarily strong 2025 draft class despite the fact all seven draftees got playing time last season, and five made at least one start.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Education isn’t a cure-all; North Korea appears to have decent schools yet is impoverished and totalitarian.—
Nicholas D. Kristof,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
What’s your plan for creating good-paying jobs?—
Gromer Jeffers Jr,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
According to chemist and blogger Alexis Rochester, a good-smelling home is best achieved by taking a multistep approach to target problem areas.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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When a team has a losing or mediocre season over several seasons shouldn’t the coach take some of the blame.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Hedda — the bored, mercurial and vicious wife of a mediocre academic — is known as the Hamlet of women’s roles because it’s widely considered the most complex female part ever written for the stage.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
So mailing your ballot may work out fine, or may not.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Medium- or fine-grind cornmeal makes pancakes with a pleasant grittiness, while buttermilk keeps the interiors light and tender.—
Ken Haedrich,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Roma wanted a satisfactory replacement signed before letting Tsimikas return.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Yeah … very satisfactory to hear that.—
Natalie Morales,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
But things have gotten a little more uptight than alright with Moy’s family.—
Gary Graff,
Billboard,
13 Feb. 2026
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Robinson Briand says her client is alright after seeking medical care following her release, but the damage is lasting.—
Derek James,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This wasn’t just some middling offense that got shut down by a great defense, either.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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The middling Heat, which is the only Eastern Conference team that didn’t make a move ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, is now 13-19 in its last 32 games following a strong 14-7 start to the season.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Caterpillar over Microsoft The Dow’s path to its first close above 50,000 on Friday illustrates this story nicely.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
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Moreover, the new subdivisions corresponded nicely to a map that Hintiryan and colleagues published in 2016 based on an entirely different technique, which traced connections between the caudoputamen and other regions.—
Amber Dance,
Quanta Magazine,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“So-so.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/so-so. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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