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

See Examples For:

so-so

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

Marvell drops after so-so earnings fail to wow investors, while PayPal slumps after a report says its takeover may be off.

From Barron's ● Aug. 29, 2026

Also, the first crosstown showdown of Son’s so-far, so-so tenure in L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026

Consumer spending, meanwhile, was just so-so in January.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 2026

The school was strong in literature but just seemed so-so in creative writing.

From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos

Related Words

• mediocre
• middling
• passable
• respectable
• undistinguished