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.
The goal would be to establish “a decent peace, on terms favorable to Americans but that China can also accept and live under.”
Even adversaries acknowledge him to be a decent guy.
"He has lived an otherwise decent, responsible life. He has worked hard, and it's all been for nothing now," he said.
From BBC
The economy got off to a decent start in the first month of 2026, new surveys show, but growth appeared to cool due to ongoing stress from U.S. tariffs.
From MarketWatch
"So hopefully I wake up tomorrow with a decent golf swing and a clearer head, and we'll go out there and try our best."
From Barron's
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.
