so-so 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of so-sonext
as in decent
of average to below average quality a so-so production of a great play

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

so-so

2 of 2

adverb

ˈsō-ˈsō How to pronounce so-so (audio)
as in good
in a satisfactory way I think I did so-so on the test

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 so-so
Adjective
Is solid production in the AHL and abroad, but so-so results in the NHL now worth a long-term deal at $4 million per year? — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Moreover, the battery life is lacking, the camera is so-so, and the speaker isn't great for listening to calls or media. — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 3 Aug. 2026
Adverb
Instead, all four proved to be only so-so reality TV chefs and the judges never had to make a single Sophie’s choice between any of them. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2026 But that dosing mechanism only works so-so. — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for so-so
Recent Examples of Synonyms for so-so
  1. decent
  2. good
  3. mediocre
  4. fine
  5. satisfactory
  6. alright
  7. middling
  8. nicely
Adjective
  • This is part of WaterAid’s core approach that aims to change lives with clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene.
    — Cleo Levin, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026
  • If both are out for Week 1, Roschon Johnson would slot into the mid-upper 30s, as a high-volume play not without decent risk.
    — Jake Ciely, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of decent
Adverb
  • The county's promise of good-paying jobs has attracted immigrants to Elkhart and surrounding counties.
    — Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 3 Sep. 2026
  • No one considers states subsidizing Tom Cruise’s salary an attempt to save good-paying middle-class jobs, like a grip or focus puller.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of good
Adjective
  • The Jays will need many moments in the next month to turn this mediocre season into one worth remembering.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The mediocre screen was an unpleasant surprise given that this thing advertised 100 percent sRGB gamut coverage when it was announced and on its product page for many weeks (the Internet Archive captures it here).
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of mediocre
Adverb
  • A little further east, in Indonesia, there’s a fine-dining revolution going on.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The song might have worked fine for someone who doesn’t have as much to say.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of fine
Adjective
  • Not ready for prime time The video-generation technology rarely gets the content right on its first try, Sun said, adding that her team takes at least 10 attempts to create a satisfactory 15-second clip.
    — Ling Wei, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The ride quality in my tester was more than satisfactory; a good thing given the infamous Atlanta traffic.
    — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of satisfactory
Adverb
  • Matthew McConaughey hopes that Woody Harrelson has a more than alright, alright, alright 65th birthday.
    — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 25 July 2026
  • And in new data released this week from the Ronald Reagan Institute, there are very clear warnings that the kids aren’t alright with MAGA.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 1 July 2026
Definition of alright
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, the fantasy is interrupted by a giant monolith of a middling luxury condo building looming outside.
    — Nora DeLigter, Curbed, 4 Sep. 2026
  • When expectations were highest at Ole Miss (2024), the Rebels got knocked out of the CFP race with losses to middling Kentucky and Florida teams.
    — Matt Baker, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of middling
Adverb
  • That feels very much in tune with the anxious characters Eisenberg has played over the course of his acting career, but this whole directing thing is working out nicely for him, too.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Push your right foot down, and the Grand Sport lurches forward like a bat out of hell and straight into two esses, which right away show you how nicely dialed-in the steering is.
    — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of nicely

Browse Nearby Words

sort (through)
so-so
sot
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“So-so.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/so-so. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of empirical

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All