fair to middling

Idioms  

1. Mediocre, pretty good, so-so, as in I asked them how they liked their new home and John answered, “Fair to middling. This phrase, often a reply to an inquiry about one's health, business, or the like, is redundant, since fair and middling both mean “moderately good.” [Mid-1800s] Also see can't complain.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fair to middling

Who would have thought that a movie that got only fair to middling reviews when it premiered would wind up with a live musical experience and a Diane Sawyer special?

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 30, 2022

Isaac cage match, which supplies fair to middling action and sentiment and consistently satisfying laughs.

From New York Times ● Mar. 29, 2022

Seems as if their defense might be at least fair to middling.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 16, 2022

Just a fair to middling QB otherwise, those victories cemented Manning’s place as a legendary New York sports figure.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 29, 2017

They're very religious, as you probably know—a fine lot, too, take 'em altogether, gentle, obedient, industrious, polite, cheerful, and fair to middling honest.

From The Man Who Rocked the Earth by Robert Williams Wood