so-so
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
adverb
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If that happens, Daniele, who is enjoying Monza with his two sons, Tommaso and Demis, says they will feel "so-so" about Antonelli's victory.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
They went from so-so to absolutely unstoppable as head coach Mike Brown tweaked the offense—less dribbling, more cutting and passing—and Brunson morphed into one of the all-time clutch heroes of New York sports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
Consumer spending, meanwhile, was just so-so in January.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 2026
Lyft plummeted 17% after the ride-hailing platform reported weaker-than-expected revenue for the fourth quarter and issued so-so guidance.
From Barron's ● Feb. 11, 2026
Hannah starts to join me, but she ends up waving her palm in a so-so sign and shrugs.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
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.
