decent
Americanadjective
-
conforming to the recognized standard of propriety, good taste, modesty, etc., as in behavior or speech.
- Antonyms:
- unseemly
-
respectable; worthy.
a decent family.
-
adequate; fair; passable.
a decent wage.
-
kind; obliging; generous.
It was very decent of him to lend me his watch.
-
suitable; appropriate.
She did not have a decent coat for the cold winter.
- Antonyms:
- inappropriate
-
of fairly attractive appearance.
a decent face.
-
Informal. wearing enough clothing to appear in public.
-
Slang. great; wonderful.
adjective
-
polite or respectable
a decent family
-
proper and suitable; fitting
a decent burial
-
conforming to conventions of sexual behaviour; not indecent
-
free of oaths, blasphemy, etc
decent language
-
good or adequate
a decent wage
-
informal kind; generous
he was pretty decent to me
-
informal sufficiently clothed to be seen by other people
are you decent?
Usage
What’s the difference between decent and descent? Decent is an adjective that means adequate or suitable, as in a decent meal, or good or respectable, as in a decent person. Descent is a noun that means the act of moving downward (descending), a downward movement, or downward movement in general. Despite their similar spelling, the two words are pronounced differently. In decent, the emphasis is on the first part of the word, which is pronounced like dee. In descent, the emphasis is on the -scent part of the word, with the first part pronounced like dih. So how can you remember which one gets the s? Dropping the s is the decent thing to do, but you should pick it back up for your descent. Here’s an example of descent and dissent used correctly in a sentence. Example: The climbers decided to make the descent while the weather was still decent.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of decent
First recorded in 1485–95; from Latin decent-, stem of decēns “fitting,” present participle of decēre “to be acceptable, be fitting”; akin to decus “honor” ( see decorous)
Explanation
The adjective decent means sufficient or acceptable. The local diner you like to frequent may not serve a four-star breakfast, but it probably has decent food. Though the concept is a little dated, people of "decent society" are socially correct. They don't break the law, behave rudely, use impolite language, or wear inappropriate clothing. Decent can also mean "nice": Holding the door for a woman with a stroller is the decent thing to do. Lastly, decent can also mean "appropriately clothed" (or just "not naked"). If a stranger is knocking on your door, you're probably not going to answer it until you're decent.
Vocabulary lists containing decent
"The Landlady" by Roald Dahl
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Nothing But the Truth
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The Skin I'm In
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Decent cinematic espionage usually whips a collective cultural anxiety into a sugary sweet, fizzy concoction that sticks to its audience’s nerves like glue.
From Salon • May 24, 2025
Read if you like: “Clean and Decent: The Fascinating History of the Bathroom and the Water-Closet,” by Lawrence Wright; any of the vintage tub accounts of Instagram; Victoria Magazine.
From New York Times • Nov. 23, 2024
"We are also determined to reduce the number of non-decent rented homes by 50% by 2030, as well as introducing the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time."
From BBC • Oct. 15, 2023
"Decent work empowers workers to organize and to negotiate," he told reporters.
From Reuters • Sep. 20, 2023
“Electricity. Decent lighting. It’s not climate-controlled, but it could be worse. At least I’m not in the desert like Oppenheimer.”
From "The Fourteenth Goldfish" by Jennifer L. Holm
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
