so-so

Or so so

[soh-soh, soh-soh]

adjective

1. Also soso indifferent; neither very good nor very bad.

   Synonyms: passable, average, ordinary, fair, mediocre

adverb

1. in an indifferent or passable manner; indifferently; tolerably.

so-so

adjective

1. (postpositive) neither good nor bad

adverb

1. in an average or indifferent manner

Word History and Origins

Origin of so-so¹

First recorded in 1520–30

Example Sentences

Staying on in Vegas a bit too long, making so-so records in a home studio set up at Graceland — these weren’t enough to buoy the man he calls a genius.

From Los Angeles Times

Some things prove ineffable, like this multi-perspective story of a woman, her daughter, her personal assistant, her so-so suitor, her long-ago camp crush and his wife — all of whom spend a weekend together.

From Los Angeles Times

Teams playing the Lakers know they can push them off their cuts, force them into so-so screens and walk them into stagnation.

From Los Angeles Times

That was when the company shifted its core strategy from being a so-so provider of business software to a supercharged financial engine powered by debt, stock sales and Bitcoin.

From New York Times

Even with a so-so Freeman, the Dodgers are one of the best teams in the league.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• mediocre 
• middling 
• passable 
• respectable 
• undistinguished