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

“I think that’s what separates great writers from so-so writers.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

Columbus, Ohio, and California’s San Jose area unexpectedly got top scores this year—evidence that even places with so-so earning potential or high costs of living can be prime locations for landing that first job postgraduation.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

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

From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026

Lyft plummeted 15% 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

Related Words

• mediocre
• middling
• passable
• respectable
• undistinguished