so-so

American  

[soh-soh, soh-soh] / ˈsoʊˌsoʊ, ˈsoʊˈsoʊ /

Or so so

adjective

1. Also soso indifferent; neither very good nor very bad.

   Synonyms:

   passable, average, ordinary, fair, mediocre

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adverb

1. in an indifferent or passable manner; indifferently; tolerably.

so-so British  

adjective

1. (postpositive) neither good nor bad

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adverb

1. in an average or indifferent manner

Etymology

Origin of so-so

First recorded in 1520–30

Explanation

When something is only okay or mediocre, it's so-so. If that new action movie had a few exciting scenes but an implausible plot and some uneven acting, you might say it was just so-so. So-so is perfect for describing things that fall right in between terrible and spectacular. A basketball season in which your team wins half the games and loses the other half is a so-so season. And a movie book that you didn't hate but wouldn't recommend to all of your friends is also so-so. In French you'd say "Comme çi comme ça," or "like this, like that," and in Swahili you might say "Nusu nusu," or "half and half."

Example Sentences

“It’s changing, but we’re not there yet. So, so much more needs to be done in the realm of education,” they say.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

“Guys,” he will say, “guys, they are so good. So, so good.”

From New York Times • Mar. 8, 2024

So so there was a bit more connective tissue that we didn't have space for in the end.

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2023

“He drives in runs; that’s what he does. And when he hits the ball he hits it very hard. So so far, that’s been great.”

From Washington Times • Apr. 2, 2023

He says, “I am sorry. So, so sorry.”

From "The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle" by Leslie Connor

Related Words

• mediocre
• middling
• passable
• respectable
• undistinguished