a decent year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a decent year" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when referring to a year that has been successful, productive, or memorable in some way. For example, "It's been a decent year for our small business, we've seen steady growth."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

33 human-written examples

The silent comedy award A decent year for nu-vaudeville was marked by a Comedy award nomination for unknown New York duo Chris and Paul, who found themselves compared to Stan and Ollie as critics belatedly circled their off-the-beaten-track show.

The Guardian

"Obviously, I had a decent year," she said.

The New York Times - Sports

"I thought I had a decent year for them.

The New York Times - Sports

We had a decent year, not a good year.

The New York Times - Sports

In a decent year a captain will make $45,000, a deckhand perhaps $30,000.

The Economist

She said that "in a decent year with a bonus," she made about $325,000.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

(His new, $25 million contract probably made it a decent enough year for him personally).

Huffington Post

"Ryan's certainly hungry for it, and he's had a pretty decent year so far," said Jim Courier, the United States captain, in a telephone interview from France.

The New York Times - Sports

"Ryan's certainly hungry for it, and he's had a pretty decent year so far," said Jim Courier, the U.S. captain, in a telephone interview from France.

The New York Times - Sports

So if I achieve that objective and the record is a byproduct of that then fair enough, it'll top off a fairly decent year".

The Guardian - Sport

But James Lentz, an executive vice president with Toyota, said auto companies would still have "a very decent year" even if sales declined over all.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a decent year" to describe a period that was satisfactory or moderately successful, but not necessarily outstanding. It's suitable for situations where you want to convey a sense of moderate achievement or progress.

Common error

Avoid using "a decent year" when the period was exceptionally successful. It can downplay significant achievements. Instead, use terms like "a remarkable year" or "a very successful year".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a decent year" functions as a noun phrase describing a period of time, with "decent" acting as an adjective modifying "year". It indicates a level of success or satisfaction that is moderate or acceptable, as supported by Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a decent year" is a commonly used and grammatically correct phrase that describes a period of moderate success or satisfaction. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability, and examples show its prevalence in news and business contexts. While not conveying outstanding achievement, it's a versatile term for expressing an acceptable outcome. When writing, ensure this phrase aligns with the actual level of success achieved to avoid misrepresentation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a satisfactory year

Replaces 'decent' with 'satisfactory', indicating a year that meets expectations but may not exceed them.

a reasonable year

Substitutes 'decent' with 'reasonable', suggesting a year that is fair and moderate in its success.

a respectable year

Uses 'respectable' instead of 'decent', implying a year that is worthy of esteem and recognition.

a fairly good year

Adds 'fairly good' to qualify the year as more than just average.

a moderately successful year

Replaces 'decent' with a more explicit description of moderate success.

an okay year

Uses 'okay' for a more informal and understated tone.

a not bad year

Employs a double negative to express a positive sentiment, similar to 'decent'.

a tolerable year

Substitutes 'decent' with 'tolerable', suggesting a year that was acceptable but perhaps not ideal.

a passable year

Uses 'passable' indicating the minimum level of acceptability.

an unremarkable year

Replaces the positive connotation with a neutral one, suggesting a year without significant events.

FAQs

How can I use "a decent year" in a sentence?

You can use "a decent year" to describe a period that was moderately successful or satisfactory. For example, "Despite the challenges, we had "a decent year" in terms of revenue growth."

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

You can use alternatives like "a satisfactory year", "a reasonable year", or "a respectable year" depending on the context.

Is "a decent year" formal or informal?

"A decent year" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, consider your audience and the specific situation to determine if a more precise or descriptive phrase might be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "a decent year" and "a good year"?

"A decent year" suggests a satisfactory or moderately successful period, while "a good year" implies a more positive and successful outcome. The choice depends on the level of success you want to convey.