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
- decently adverb
- decentness noun
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” ( decorous )
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.
Yet “it appears that a decent amount of the AI uncertainty is priced” in, they add.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
Members of the “Magnificent Seven” megacap tech stocks, which have struggled lately, also saw a decent rebound.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
Sales at U.S. retailers bounced back in February after a brief weak spell, suggesting the economy is still expanding at decent speed despite a turbulent start to the new year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
That’s because this winter brought decent rain and the three years prior years were wet, too.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
If we give chronology the decent respect it is due, it is clear that Madison's thinking began to change before Jefferson returned to the scene.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
