decent function

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "decent function" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a function that performs adequately or satisfactorily, often in a technical or mathematical context. Example: "The software update improved the application, and now it has a decent function for data analysis."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"You might need some time to get to a level in which you can easily isolate organelles with decent purity and with decent function, but [kits] are banned in my lab," he says.

Science Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

How about we simply reach for making Scotland decent, functioning and capable of handling stuff, instead?

The Guardian - Opinion

Across 36 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia, fewer than half of all children have access to decent, functioning toilets at school, according to Unicef.

The Guardian

Nobody," she declared, pointing out that the rich can only get rich thanks to the "social contract" that provides a decent, functioning society in which they can prosper.

The New York Times

Having brought down tyrants who had paralyzed public life and public debate for decades, the peoples of the Arab world are focusing on the internal problems of their societies: poverty, corruption, lack of freedom and opportunity and an overall failure to establish a decent, functioning Arab modernity.

The New York Times

Finally, to find these energy minima starting from pre-defined activation pattern, a gradient decent procedure is applied to the energy function.

Cognitive Computation

In order to make the algorithm more robust, the initial population is generated by combining determinate factors with random ones, and a decent scale function is designed to tailor the crossover operator so that it can not only find the decent direction quickly but also keep scanning evenly in the whole feasible space.

Progress in Natural Science

Furthermore, Alltop doesn't have a decent search function, which makes it very hard to look for sources to add unless I'm 100% certain they will be in a specific category.

TechCrunch

Despite having not been updated since 2012, the client, which is part of the Windows Essentials 2012 package, offers a clear rather understated experience that can tap into several email accounts from the likes Microsoft and Google and has a decent calendar function built-in too.

Forbes

The big fat stock quote in the upper corner, the fact that you can filter down to 20 of the most discussed tech companies (note the Google Investor News screenshot below), the decent search function and the speed with which it updates news feeds (every 5 minutes or so, with some human editing involved).

TechCrunch

Instead, savvy computer consumers are hunting for good value demanding a machine that has decent multimedia functions; the capability to surf the Internet, do one's taxes and play a few videogames.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing technical aspects, use "decent function" to convey that a feature works sufficiently well without being exceptional. For stronger emphasis, consider "excellent function" or "optimal performance".

Common error

Avoid using "decent function" when the actual performance is subpar. Instead, opt for more accurate descriptors like "limited function" or "partially functional" to avoid misleading your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "decent function" primarily acts as a descriptive term. It combines an adjective ("decent") to modify a noun ("function"), indicating an acceptable or satisfactory level of performance. As Ludwig AI explains, it suggests that something operates adequately without being exceptional.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

33%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "decent function" is a grammatically correct and usable English expression used to describe a function or process that performs adequately or satisfactorily. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability. While not exceptionally common, the phrase appears in diverse contexts, including news, scientific literature, and general discourse. Its primary purpose is to convey a nuanced assessment, indicating that something works well enough without necessarily being outstanding. For alternative expressions, consider "adequate function" or "satisfactory function" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

adequate function

Replaces "decent" with "adequate", implying a basic level of acceptability.

satisfactory function

Substitutes "decent" with "satisfactory", suggesting that the function meets expectations.

acceptable functionality

Replaces "function" with "functionality", focusing on the operational aspect being acceptable.

reasonable operation

Shifts from "function" to "operation", emphasizing the process being reasonable.

serviceable performance

Uses "serviceable performance" instead of "decent function", highlighting the usefulness of the performance.

competent mechanism

Replaces "function" with "mechanism", changing the noun while retaining a sense of competence.

passable working

Uses "passable working" to indicate that something is working to a sufficient degree.

minimally acceptable process

Emphasizes the minimum level of acceptability of the process.

tolerable performance

Indicates that the performance is bearable, though not necessarily optimal.

moderately good system

Changes the phrase to describe a system that is moderately good in its operation.

FAQs

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

You might say, "The software update improved the application, and now it has a "decent function" for data analysis", implying that the function is now adequately performing its task.

What are some alternatives to "decent function"?

You can use alternatives like "adequate function", "satisfactory function", or "acceptable functionality" depending on the context.

When is it appropriate to use "decent function" over stronger terms?

"Decent function" is best used when something performs adequately but not exceptionally. It implies that the function works well enough for its intended purpose without being outstanding.

What is the difference between "decent function" and "optimal function"?

"Decent function" suggests an acceptable or satisfactory level of performance, while "optimal function" implies the best possible performance. Use "decent function" when the performance is good enough, and "optimal function" when the performance is the highest achievable.