define good

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "define good" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when asking for a clarification or explanation of what "good" means in a specific context. For example, "Can you define good in terms of ethical behavior?" Alternative expressions include "explain good" and "clarify good."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

How would you define "good manners"?

The New York Times

Students: Tell us how you'd define "good manners".

The New York Times

Faced with this lack of consensus, policy makers define good education as higher test scores.

The New York Times

And how do you define good or bad parenting — worthy of a passing or failing grade?

The New York Times - Style

How do you define "good" food and, for that matter, what is "food"?

The New York Times

The organic movement owns a very particular set of rules, not the fundamental principles that define good farming.

The Guardian

The tricky question is: how can governance quality be measured, and how do you define "good governance"?

The Guardian

Nurses, in contrast, are more likely to define good teamwork as a relationship in which everyone's input counts.

The New York Times

Our adolescent food culture fell hard for the romance of industrial perfectibility and the "convenience doctrine": the proposition that easy should define good in American eating.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

How does he define good-looking?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Attempts to define good-quality childcare usually rely on quantifiable indicators such as staff/child ratios.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In academic writing, accompany this phrase with a specific noun to avoid ambiguity, such as 'define good practice' or 'define good performance' to ensure the reader knows which quality is being measured.

Common error

Avoid using the phrase in isolation without a following noun or a clear antecedent. For instance, asking an AI or a researcher to 'define good' without specifying whether you mean moral goodness, functional quality or statistical significance can lead to overly broad and unhelpful answers.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "define good" functions as a transitive verb phrase where 'define' acts as the action of establishing meaning and 'good' serves as the head of the object, often modifying an elided or subsequent noun. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it frequently initiates a clarification of standards.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

35%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "define good" is a robust linguistic tool used to transform the subjective adjective 'good' into a concrete set of parameters. According to Ludwig AI, it is highly prevalent in academic and scientific contexts, where it serves to establish protocols, benchmarks and ethical boundaries. Whether used to discuss "good governance", "good manners" or "good practice", the phrase signals a move from vague intuition toward analytical clarity. Writers should note that while it is grammatically correct and versatile, its effectiveness depends entirely on the context provided. By using alternatives like "characterize what is good" or specifying the target noun, you can achieve even greater precision in professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

characterize what is good

focuses on describing the specific traits or attributes that constitute goodness

establish criteria for good

more formal and emphasizes setting measurable standards

clarify what counts as good

less formal and focuses on resolving ambiguity

conceptualize good

shifts the focus to the theoretical or abstract understanding of the term

stipulate the meaning of good

suggests a formal or technical requirement for a specific definition

delineate goodness

highly formal and implies tracing the exact boundaries of the concept

outline good

suggests a broader or less detailed description

determine what is good

focuses more on the decision-making process than the description

interpret good

implies a subjective or situational perspective

identify good

focuses on recognizing quality rather than explaining it

FAQs

How do you use "define good" in a sentence?

You can use it to establish parameters for a concept, such as "It is difficult to "define good quality" in such a subjective field."

What is a more formal way to say "define good"?

Depending on your intent, you might use "establish criteria for good" or "characterize what is good" to sound more academic.

Which is better, "define good" or "describe good"?

Use "define good" when you are setting a strict rule or standard. Use "describe good" if you are simply listing characteristics without setting a definitive boundary.

Can "define good" be used in a philosophical context?

Yes, it is very common in ethics to "conceptualize good" or attempt to "define good and evil" as absolute concepts.