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
After two so-so starts, Buchanan approached Lambert with some ideas. — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 23 July 2026 Guys’ inability to fully deliver for Dean is explored in trenchant lyrics that seem to be exploring fateful realizations about so-so situationships in real time. — Chris Willman, Variety, 17 July 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
  • Toure has been decent, too, flashing down the wing and firing in crosses.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Democrats had a decent night in Florida’s nonpartisan elections, led by their wins on the Sarasota County school board.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of decent
Adverb
  • That includes whether the 16 jobs are good-paying professional careers, hourly wage jobs, or something else.
    — Olivia Young, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Besides good-paying jobs, development translates into building permit revenue for municipalities, some of which are experiencing boom times not seen since the start of the pandemic six years ago.
    — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of good
Adjective
  • But long lines, crowds, harried workers, and mediocre food and beverage can make the airport lounge experience less than special.
    — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Again, send out 20 really good ones rather than 200 mediocre ones.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of mediocre
Adverb
  • Drugstore shampoos work just fine, if not, better than some of their more expensive counterparts.
    — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Conclude with scallop crudo and homemade tortellini at the property’s fine-dining restaurant, where the atmosphere is that of an intimate club and guests and servers are on a first-name basis.
    — Hannah Seligson, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of fine
Adjective
  • By contrast, state inspection records from 2025 and the first weeks of 2026, just days after Calvo took office in January, show the city’s pool facilities were consistently rated satisfactory.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2026
  • For someone who is dogmatic, or has a strong commitment to evangelism, this may not be satisfactory.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 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
  • The series received a lukewarm reception from critics and earned middling ratings upon its release, in August, 2005.
    — Paula Mejía, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Teams don’t have to be much better than middling to sneak into October and hope to ride the variance of tournament baseball to a title.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of middling
Adverb
  • These colors all pair nicely with whites, beiges, and soft browns, too.
    — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 21 Aug. 2026
  • And this does the latter quite nicely, the classic claret and blue along with a gold trim offsets the whole thing rather well.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 20 Aug. 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 25 Aug. 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 tilde

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'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

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

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

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
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
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All