such as it is

Idioms

In the form that it has, which is not very good but all that's available, as in Of course you can stay for supper, such as it is. This expression is generally used apologetically, indicating that the item in question isn't very good or worth much. [Late 1300s]

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.

such as it is

The elite, such as it is, starts to fracture.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026

The “good” news, such as it is, is that the 10-year yield has been falling lately.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2025

The rivalry, such as it is, arose from forces both real and manufactured, apparently.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2025

I’ve been describing this world of ours, such as it is, for almost 23 years at TomDispatch.

From Salon ● Mar. 25, 2024

Instead I think, he’s right: we are the establishment now, such as it is.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023