a decent review

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a decent review" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a review that is satisfactory or acceptable in quality, often in contexts like books, movies, or products. Example: "I was pleased to see that the film received a decent review from the critics, highlighting its strong performances."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Martin Rogers of Yahoo Sports wants Murray to be more offensive-minded, while London's The Guardian gave the Scot's first round performance a decent review.

The New York Times

The film was pretty crap; the performances hammy rather than buffo, the narrative pace feeble rather than farcical – but such was the amiability of the exercise, and my own reservoir of affection for what the Coens apparently represent – namely, considered, intelligent, witty film-making in an era characterised by crassly merchandising blockbusters – that I gave The Ladykillers a decent review.

The Guardian - Film

At this point getting a decent review out of anyone was not really in the cards.

Vice

My goodness, when I was a kid, I never got a decent review for my public performances because they said I looked frightened to death.

Huffington Post

Sarah Stegall of SF Scope gave the pilot a decent review, and said that if Moonlight could survive "the Friday night time slot" and the "thwarted expectations of [vampire] fans who were expecting Blade", she thought it would "rock".

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

The teen comedy earned an A-minus grade from CinemaScore and decent reviews from critics.

Los Angeles Times

In the late 1950s his painting and drawing were good and strange enough to land him a few shows and decent reviews.

The New York Times - Arts

James Toback's Tyson, about the troubled former heavyweight boxing world champion Mike Tyson, also gets a screening after drawing decent reviews in Cannes.

The Guardian - Film

The show, a pulpy thriller that could be a fun watch, has earned decent reviews.

Huffington Post

The film, directed by Colin Trevorrow and starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, has received decent reviews from critics and scored an A from the audience polling firm CinemaScore.

Los Angeles Times

It was, in a word, cute and won decent reviews, but few raves.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a decent review" when you want to indicate that something received a moderately positive assessment, without being overly enthusiastic.

Common error

Avoid using "a decent review" when the feedback was overwhelmingly positive; opt for phrases like "an excellent review" or "rave reviews" instead to accurately reflect the sentiment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a decent review" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a verb (e.g., 'received a decent review,' 'gave a decent review'). It refers to an assessment or critique that is considered moderately good or satisfactory. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is considered correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Wiki

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a decent review" is a grammatically correct and usable term that indicates a moderately positive assessment or critique. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this expression is suitable for various contexts. The frequency is uncommon, with primary usage in News & Media. The phrase functions as a noun phrase, commonly used as the object of a verb, and serves to convey a subject's reasonably positive evaluation, without implying exceptional quality. When aiming for precision, alternatives like "a favorable critique" or "a satisfactory assessment" can offer nuanced variations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a favorable critique

Replaces "review" with "critique" and "decent" with "favorable", suggesting a positive judgment.

a satisfactory assessment

Substitutes "review" with "assessment" and "decent" with "satisfactory", indicating an acceptable level of quality.

a moderately positive write-up

Uses "write-up" instead of "review" and specifies the degree of positivity.

a fairly good evaluation

Replaces "decent" with "fairly good" and "review" with "evaluation", indicating a reasonably positive opinion.

a respectable opinion

Replaces "review" with "opinion" and "decent" with "respectable", suggesting a worthy or admirable viewpoint.

a reasonable judgment

Changes "review" to "judgment" and "decent" to "reasonable", implying a fair and logical evaluation.

a commendable analysis

Uses "analysis" for "review" and "commendable" for "decent", suggesting praise and approval.

an acceptable critique

Replaces "decent" with "acceptable", indicating that the review meets a minimum standard.

a passable evaluation

Replaces "decent" with "passable", suggesting the review is just good enough.

a standard review

Substitutes "decent" with "standard", indicating a review that is neither particularly good nor bad.

FAQs

What does it mean when something receives "a decent review"?

When something receives "a decent review", it means that it has been assessed as being moderately good or satisfactory, without necessarily being outstanding or exceptional.

What can I say instead of "a decent review"?

You can use alternatives like "a favorable critique", "a satisfactory assessment", or "a fairly good evaluation" depending on the context.

Is "a decent review" the same as "a good review"?

While both indicate a positive assessment, "a decent review" suggests something is moderately good, while "a good review" implies a higher level of quality or satisfaction.

When is it appropriate to say something received "a decent review" instead of "a positive review"?

Use "a decent review" when you want to convey that the reception was reasonably positive, but not overwhelmingly so. "A positive review" might suggest greater enthusiasm than is warranted.