passably decent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "passably decent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is acceptable or satisfactory, though not exceptional. Example: "The movie was passably decent, providing some entertainment but lacking in depth."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Only in the past two years of UN administration have the East Timorese glimpsed a passably decent future.The new chief minister, Mari Alkatiri, accepts that East Timor will be dependent on foreign aid for several years.

The Economist

The bottom line is that by any sane person's reckoning, the question "Who caused the Great Recession?" leads to the financial sector -- and the certainty that, left to themselves, the financial sector will "do it again" -- and again and again, leaving nothing of the covenant that "the rich shall allow the middle class a passably decent lifestyle".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Pretty decent.

Forbes

"He's pretty decent.

Forbes

"A fairly decent day.

BBC

Anything passably earthy goes.

The New Yorker

He plays piano well, and guitar passably.

The New Yorker

She gets through the first passably.

The New York Times

Lee, passably assured, scribbled his phone number for Subban.

The New Yorker

Only JPMorgan Chase did passably well (see chart).

The Economist

The exercise is passably droll but awfully strenuous.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the context. "Passably decent" can sometimes imply a slight criticism or reservation.

Common error

In formal contexts, avoid "passably decent" if a more precise or sophisticated term like "moderately good" or "reasonably acceptable" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "passably decent" functions as an adverb-adjective combination to qualify a noun, indicating that it meets a minimum level of acceptability without being exceptional. Ludwig's analysis confirms its correctness and usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "passably decent" is a grammatically correct adverb-adjective combination that signifies something is acceptable or satisfactory without being exceptional. While deemed correct by Ludwig, it's relatively rare in occurrence, primarily appearing in news and media contexts. When seeking alternatives, consider options like "moderately good" or "reasonably acceptable" to maintain a similar meaning but perhaps with greater precision. When crafting your writing, be mindful of the subtle implications and consider whether a more nuanced descriptor may be more appropriate for the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

moderately good

Replaces "passably" with "moderately", maintaining a similar level of adequacy.

reasonably good

Substitutes "passably" with "reasonably", suggesting an acceptable level of quality.

adequately good

Uses "adequately" instead of "passably", emphasizing just enough quality.

sufficiently decent

Replaces "passably" with "sufficiently", indicating a satisfactory level.

fairly acceptable

Emphasizes the acceptability of something rather than its level of quality.

tolerably good

Suggests something is good enough to be tolerated, implying a lower standard.

acceptably adequate

Combines acceptance and adequacy, highlighting the just-enough quality.

somewhat satisfactory

Uses "somewhat" to soften the satisfaction, implying a moderate level.

kind of okay

An informal expression suggesting something is just acceptable.

not bad

A simple, informal way to express that something is acceptable without being excellent.

FAQs

What does "passably decent" mean?

The phrase "passably decent" means something is acceptable or satisfactory, though not exceptional or outstanding. It implies a minimum standard has been met.

What can I say instead of "passably decent"?

You can use alternatives like "moderately good", "reasonably good", or "fairly acceptable" depending on the context.

Is it okay to use "passably decent" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "passably decent" might be too informal for some formal contexts. Consider using more precise or sophisticated alternatives.

How do I use "passably decent" in a sentence?

You can use "passably decent" to describe the quality of something. For example, "The restaurant's food was passably decent, but the service was excellent."