1
as in nice
conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue
as decent and kind a couple as you could ever hope to meet
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in honorable
following the accepted rules of moral conduct
demanded nothing less than decent behavior by the troops serving overseas
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3
as in proper
following the established traditions of refined society and good taste
decent clothing for someone attending a funeral, if only as a friend of a friend
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4
as in pure
free from any trace of the coarse or indecent
students were warned that their skits could be funny but still had to remain decent
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5
as in adequate
of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards
he did a decent job on the project, but there's still room for improvement
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decent
Economists are expecting another decent month of employment growth in June.
—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
30 June 2026
Scott Eastwood isn't mincing his words about being a decent person in show business.
—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 June 2026
This early afternoon shot of the Cinemark theater has decent dynamic range; the white building preserves its detail, and the cloud isn't blown out.
—
Kimberly Gedeon,
PC Magazine,
29 June 2026
Many of our schools do a decent job of crushing students’ desire for mental effort.
—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for decent
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
30 June 2026
Scott Eastwood isn't mincing his words about being a decent person in show business.
—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 June 2026
This early afternoon shot of the Cinemark theater has decent dynamic range; the white building preserves its detail, and the cloud isn't blown out.
—
Kimberly Gedeon,
PC Magazine,
29 June 2026
Many of our schools do a decent job of crushing students’ desire for mental effort.
—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for decent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decent
Adjective
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Neither side has been shy of attacking, which has been a nice change of pace compared with the first couple of knockout stage matches.
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Been shooting some nice low scores in these last couple weeks outs here, so that’s something good to pat myself on the back.
Adjective
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Manliness is a touchy subject these days, but there was a time when honorable combat was respected above the mere running of one’s mouth.
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And Florida passed only because one player made the honorable decision.
Adjective
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Families, educators and advocates described barriers to accessing proper support and services.
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Heat this severe can affect anyone without proper cooling or hydration, according to the weather service.
Adjective
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The World Cup visitors being blown away by all that is America is pure entertainment.
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Post-split, one Comcast entity will be a pure-play entertainment content company, with NBCUniversal and Sky assets, while the other company will be a leading broadband, cable and wireless provider.
Adjective
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Today, some of the world’s most critical infrastructure sits on the seabed with far less attention, mostly because adequate tech doesn't exist.
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Employees didn’t take adequate measures to minimize staff travel costs contrary to state policy.
Adjective
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Shah adds that many women feel their best when ferritin levels are at least between 40 and 70 ng/ml for optimal energy and hair health, even if lab ranges suggest lower levels are ‘normal’.
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Los Angeles stretches its NL West lead to 11 games and maintains MLB’s best record as Ohtani’s star power turns Sacramento’s nominal home crowd into a roaring Dodgers road show.
Adjective
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Refine a portfolio piece, build a small prototype, or share a draft with someone who gives honest notes.
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County officials have repeatedly warned that fraudulent claims take money away from public services and shift the tax burden to honest taxpayers.
Adjective
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The result is a chain of polite, yet simultaneously radical buildings with an exciting contour resembling a mountainous landscape – adding ‘bergen’ in De Bergen!
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Then, when regular channels deny your claim, send a polite, concise email to the company’s executives.
Cite this Entry
“Decent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decent. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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