decent
gb/dˈisənt/ us/dˈisənt/
B1
English
~ 7300
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
good enough in quality
good enough in quality; not bad
Usage pattern:
a decent [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "decent" means "excellent" or "amazing". In most cases, it only means "good enough" or "quite good", not the very best. Also, learners sometimes confuse the spelling with "descent" (which is a different word meaning "going down" or "origin").
Synonyms
adequate (suggests just enough quality to meet a need, sometimes a bit weaker than "decent")
|
reasonable (similar level of approval; often used when something is fairly good for the situation)
|
pretty good (informal and slightly more positive, often implying better than expected)
Antonyms
poor (emphasizes low or unsatisfactory quality)
|
bad (general, direct opposite meaning that the quality is not acceptable)
Collocations
decent job
|decent salary
|decent meal
|decent housing
|decent education
|decent standard of living
Themes
quality
|work
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She finally found a decent job with regular hours and benefits.
- The hotel was basic but decent for the price we paid.
- We had a decent meal at the new restaurant, nothing amazing but not disappointing either.
- This phone is decent if you just need calls and messages, but not for gaming.
- They are fighting for decent housing for all families in the city.
Learner examples
- He has a decent job in a small company.
- This is a decent book, but it is not my favorite.
- We stayed in a decent hotel near the station.
- The internet speed here is decent for video calls.
- She earns a decent salary and can pay her bills easily.
adjective
B2
property
2
morally good and respectable
having good morals and living in a clean, honest way
Usage pattern:
a decent [person]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes mix this moral sense with the more neutral "acceptable quality" sense. When you say "a decent person", it usually refers to moral character, not how skilled or successful they are.
Synonyms
respectable (focuses on how others view a person as morally correct and socially acceptable)
|
upright (formal; stresses strong moral principles and honesty)
|
honorable (slightly formal; emphasizes doing what is morally right, even when it is hard)
Antonyms
immoral (direct opposite; not following accepted moral standards)
|
corrupt (suggests moral dishonesty, especially taking money or benefits in a wrong way)
|
disreputable (suggests a bad moral reputation in society)
Collocations
decent people
|a decent human being
|a decent family
|a decent society
|decent behavior
Themes
morality
|society
|behavior
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Most people here are just trying to live as decent citizens and care for their families.
- He has made mistakes, but deep down he is a decent human being.
- They want to raise their children in a decent neighborhood with good schools and low crime.
- The charity works to build a more decent and fair society for everyone.
- Despite the pressure, she tried to act like a decent person and tell the truth.
Learner examples
- Her parents are very decent people.
- He is not rich, but he is decent and honest.
- They want to live in a safe and decent community.
- She believes a decent person should help others.
- We need more decent leaders in politics.
adjective
B2
property
3
kind and fair in behavior
kind and fair to other people
Usage pattern:
be decent to [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes choose "polite" or "friendly" instead of "decent". "Polite" is about good manners, and "friendly" is about being warm and open; "decent" here includes fairness and basic kindness, even without strong warmth.
Synonyms
kind (general word for being good and helpful to others; often warmer than "decent")
|
nice (informal; focuses on being pleasant and friendly, sometimes weaker than "decent")
|
fair (stresses treating people equally and justly; more about justice than warmth)
Antonyms
cruel (direct opposite; treating people in a very unkind or painful way)
|
mean (informal; being unkind or not willing to share or help)
|
unfair (treating people differently in a wrong or unjust way)
Collocations
be decent to [someone]
|decent of you
|a pretty decent guy
|a decent thing to say
Themes
relationships
|emotions
|behavior
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Thanks for waiting for me, that was really decent of you.
- He has always been decent to his neighbors, even when they were noisy.
- Could you at least be decent and let her explain what happened?
- She seems tough, but she is a decent boss who listens to her team.
- I know we disagree, but try to be decent about it in the meeting.
Learner examples
- It was decent of you to help him.
- Please be decent to your little brother.
- My manager is strict but very decent to us.
- He is a decent friend and always listens to me.
- Can you just be decent and say sorry?
adjective
B2
property
4
socially acceptable or modest
not shocking or rude for people, especially in clothes or words
Usage pattern:
wear [decent] [clothes]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with general "good quality". In contexts talking about clothes, bodies, or language, "decent" often means "not showing too much" or "not rude", not just "good".
Synonyms
modest (often about clothing that does not show too much of the body)
|
proper (about behavior or clothing that follows social rules)
|
respectable (suggests behavior or appearance that others will not judge as shameful)
Antonyms
indecent (legal or formal word for clothing, behavior, or images that are sexually offensive or shocking)
|
improper (not suitable or correct in social or moral terms)
|
obscene (very strong; extremely offensive, especially sexually or in language)
Collocations
decent clothes
|not decent
|get decent
|decent language
|decent behavior in public
Themes
social
|appearance
|communication
|clothing
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Go and put on some decent clothes before your grandparents arrive.
- He was fined for using language that the court considered not decent on television.
- She pulled the blanket up to feel more decent when the doctor came in.
- They complained that the show was not decent for children to watch.
- You should at least try to keep the conversation decent at the dinner table.
Learner examples
- Please wear decent clothes to school.
- This movie is not decent for young children.
- She wants to look decent at work.
- That joke was not decent in front of the teacher.
- He quickly got dressed so he would look decent.
adjective
B1
property
5
fairly large in amount or degree
quite large or quite good, but not very big or the best
Usage pattern:
a decent amount of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes overuse "big" or "a lot of" instead of this meaning of "decent". "A decent amount" or "a decent chance" is more natural when the quantity or probability is clearly more than small but not extremely high.
Synonyms
reasonable (suggests a fair or acceptable amount or chance)
|
fair (informal in this sense; means "quite" or "pretty" in degree)
|
pretty good (informal; focuses on the positive side of the size or chance)
Antonyms
tiny (very small in amount or size)
|
slight (very small in degree, especially about chances or possibilities)
|
minimal (only the very small amount that is necessary)
Collocations
a decent amount of
|a decent number of
|a decent chance
|a decent size
|a decent shot at
Themes
quantity
|probability
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- If we leave now, we have a decent chance of catching the earlier train.
- She saved a decent amount of money during her first year of work.
- The new apartment has a decent-sized kitchen for a city place.
- We got a decent number of people at the event, considering the bad weather.
- He has a decent shot at winning the competition this year.
Learner examples
- I drank a decent amount of water today.
- They have a decent chance to win the game.
- We have a decent number of students in the class.
- The room is a decent size for one person.
- She made a decent amount of money last month.
Grammar
Dictionary form
decent
IPA
GB/dˈisənt/
US/dˈisənt/
Syllables & stress
de - cent (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (de)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: decent
Word family
Core family
decency
noun B2
decently
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
indecent
adjective
indecently
adverb
Advanced or less common
indecency
noun
Expressions
a decent amount of
1/ə dˈisənt əmˈaʊnt əv/
fixed phrase
a fairly large quantity of
quite a lot of something, but not a huge amount
Examples
- She drinks a decent amount of water every day to stay healthy.
- We had a decent amount of time to prepare, so the presentation went well.
a decent chance
1/ə dˈisənt t͡ʃˈæns/
fixed phrase
a fair or good possibility
a good but not sure possibility that something will happen
Examples
- There is a decent chance it will rain this afternoon, so take an umbrella.
- With your experience, you have a decent chance of getting the job.
half-decent
1/hˈæf dˈisənt/
fixed phrase
informal
barely acceptable in quality
good enough to be okay, but not very good
Examples
- I just want a half-decent cup of coffee, nothing fancy.
- We need at least a half-decent plan before we start this project.
make a decent living
1/mˈeɪk ə dˈisənt lˈɪvɪŋ/
fixed phrase
earn enough for normal life
to earn enough money to pay for normal needs and live in a comfortable way
Examples
- She makes a decent living as a freelance designer.
- You can make a decent living in that field if you work hard and build a good reputation.
the decent thing to do
1/ðə dˈisənt θˈɪŋ tə dˈu/
fixed phrase
the morally right action
the action that is morally right and that people expect a good person to do in that situation
Examples
- He knew the decent thing to do was to admit his mistake and apologize.
- Calling her to explain would be the decent thing to do.