passably good

USAGE SUMMARY

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

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Mr. Kim, who turned 69 this month, looks to be in passably good health.

The New York Times

Will we ever see tablets break the $50 price barrier (and would they be even passably good)?

MIT Technology Review

Marco Guidarini, in his company debut, gets a passably good but uninspired performance from the Met orchestra.

The New York Times

I've always found it hard to draw people, and yet I am able to produce passably good results thanks to the tips here.

The New York Times - Tech

That an 85-year-old should produce a novel at all was regarded as remarkable; that it should be passably good little short of sensational.

The Guardian - Books

Haddah Street has a kind of restaurant row, with a variety of Italian, Lebanese and Egyptian restaurants, most of which are passably good.

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

The young women are either sullen or slumping, few are even passably good-looking, and really they'd rather go home.

The New York Times

Only JPMorgan Chase did passably well (see chart).

The Economist

Still, the system worked passably well for years.

The New York Times

The shows fared passably well, he said, until focus group moderators revealed the shows were intended for AMC.

The New York Times

Presidents who do both jobs passably well — Reagan and Kennedy, and Obama, too — get many a break from their constituents, and from the history books.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "passably good" when you want to convey that something meets a minimum standard of acceptability, without necessarily being exceptional. It's useful when setting realistic expectations or acknowledging limitations.

Common error

Avoid using "passably good" when you truly mean something is excellent or outstanding. This phrase is best reserved for situations where you want to indicate adequacy rather than high quality.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "passably good" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a moderate level of quality or acceptability. As Ludwig AI points out, it is used to describe something that is neither excellent nor poor, but rather meets a minimum standard.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "passably good" is an adjective phrase used to describe something that is adequately acceptable or satisfactory without being exceptional. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts, particularly in news and media. While not extremely common, the phrase serves to convey a neutral to slightly positive assessment, setting realistic expectations. Consider related phrases like "reasonably good" or "fairly good" to provide similar meaning while adjusting the level of formality or emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Fairly good

Very close in meaning to "passably good", suggesting an acceptable level of quality without being exceptional.

Passably decent

Replaces "good" with "decent", maintaining a similar connotation of acceptability.

Reasonably good

Similar to "passably good", but suggests a logical or justifiable level of goodness.

Pretty good

A more casual and common alternative, indicating a positive but not outstanding level of quality.

Somewhat good

Indicates a marginal level of goodness, perhaps slightly less enthusiastic than "passably good".

Quite good

Slightly stronger than "passably good", indicating a more noticeable degree of quality.

Rather good

Similar to "quite good", suggesting a somewhat higher level of quality than "passably good".

Kinda good

More informal and conversational than "passably good", implying a slightly higher degree of satisfaction.

Relatively good

Good in comparison to something else; the goodness is dependent on a point of reference.

Enough good

Focuses more on sufficiency, indicating that the level of goodness is adequate for a specific purpose.

FAQs

How can I use "passably good" in a sentence?

You can use "passably good" to describe something that is moderately acceptable or satisfactory, but not exceptional. For example: "The food was "passably good", but nothing to write home about."

What's the difference between "passably good" and "pretty good"?

"Passably good" suggests a minimal level of acceptability, whereas "pretty good" implies a slightly higher degree of satisfaction or quality. "Pretty good" is also more commonly used in informal contexts.

Are there synonyms for "passably good" that I can use in formal writing?

Yes, in formal writing, you might consider using alternatives like "reasonably good", "adequately good", or "sufficiently good" to maintain a professional tone.

Is "passably good" a positive or negative expression?

"Passably good" is generally neutral, leaning slightly positive. It indicates that something is acceptable or adequate, but not necessarily outstanding or exceptional. It acknowledges a certain level of quality without being overly enthusiastic.