so-so
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
adverb
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Letting more teams into the party keeps fan bases engaged deeper into the summer—but also opens the door for a season like this one, where so-so teams can sneak in.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
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
“I think that’s what separates great writers from so-so writers.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
Like many a really good artist, M. Yoshoto taught drawing not a whit better than it’s taught by a so-so artist who has a nice flair for teaching.
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
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.
