Decent — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Decent (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue

   "as decent and kind a couple as you could ever hope to meet"

   similar: all right, ethical, good, honest, honorable, just, moral, nice, right, right-minded, righteous, straight, true, upright, virtuous
   related: correct, decorous, proper, seemly, high-minded, noble, principled, commendable, creditable, exemplary, legitimate, esteemed, law-abiding, menschy, reputable, respected, upstanding, worthy, blameless, clean, guiltless, immaculate, incorrupt, incorruptible, innocent, inoffensive, irreproachable, unobjectionable, angelic, lily-white, pure, scrupulous, spotless, uncorrupted, unerring, goody-goody, moralistic, pharisaical, rectitudinous, sanctimonious, self-righteous
   opposite: bad, dishonest, dishonorable, evil, evil-minded, immoral, indecent, sinful, unethical, unrighteous, wicked, wrong
   near: improper, incorrect, indecorous, naughty, unbecoming, unseemly, corrupt, debased, debauched, degenerate, depraved, dissolute, libertine, perverted, reprobate, unprincipled, unscrupulous, atrocious, infamous, villainous, base, low, mean, vicious, vile, blameworthy, objectionable, offensive, iniquitous, nefarious, errant, erring, fallen

2. following the accepted rules of moral conduct

   "demanded nothing less than decent behavior by the troops serving overseas"

   similar: ethical, honest, honorable, just, noble, principled, respectable, righteous, stand-up, upright, upstanding
   related: blameless, guiltless, irreproachable, unassailable, unimpeachable, chivalrous, classy, high-minded, menschy, right-minded, conscientious, fair, good, incorruptible, moral, reputable, respected, scrupulous, uncorrupted, virtuous, decorous, nice, polite, proper, seemly
   opposite: base, dishonest, dishonorable, ignoble, low, unethical, unjust, unprincipled, unrighteous, unworthy
   near: bad, blackguardly, corrupt, criminal, crooked, evil, immoral, iniquitous, knavish, mean, nefarious, rascally, reprehensible, roguish, rotten, scoundrelly, sinful, unfair, unscrupulous, vile, villainous, wicked, wretched, blamable, blameworthy, censurable, culpable, debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, degraded, demoralized, depraved, disgraceful, disreputable, dissipated, dissolute, libertine, loose, perverse, perverted, profligate, reprobate, shameful, venal

3. following the established traditions of refined society and good taste

   "decent clothing for someone attending a funeral, if only as a friend of a friend"

   similar: befitting, correct, de rigueur, decorous, genteel, nice, polite, proper, respectable, seemly
   related: acceptable, adequate, satisfactory, tolerable, dress, dressy, formal, dignified, elegant, gracious, priggish, prim, stiff, stuffy, apt, material, relevant, compatible, congenial, harmonious, allowed, authorized, kosher, permitted
   opposite: improper, inappropriate, incorrect, indecent, indecorous, indelicate, unbecoming, ungenteel, unseemly
   near: intolerable, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, casual, grungy, informal, seedy, shabby, tacky, banned, barred, disallowed, forbidden, interdicted, outlawed, prohibited, proscribed, awkward, gauche, ungraceful

4. free from any trace of the coarse or indecent

   "students were warned that their skits could be funny but still had to remain decent"

   similar: chaste, clean, G-rated, immaculate, modest, pure, vestal, virgin, virginal
   related: lily-white, spotless, stainless, unblemished, undefiled, unsoiled, unspotted, unstained, unsullied, untainted, untarnished, decorous, proper, seemly, cultivated, refined, tasteful, harmless, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive
   opposite: coarse, dirty, filthy, immodest, impure, indecent, obscene, smutty, unchaste, unclean, vulgar
   near: blemished, defiled, soiled, spotted, stained, sullied, tainted, tarnished, improper, indecorous, indelicate, ribald, unseemly, crude, tacky, tasteless, unrefined

5. of a level of quality that meets one's needs or standards

   "he did a decent job on the project, but there's still room for improvement"

   similar: acceptable, adequate, all right, fairish, fine, good, OK, passable, respectable, satisfactory, serviceable, tolerable, up to snuff
   related: agreeable, bearable, endurable, sufferable, average, fair, indifferent, mediocre, middling, minimal, common, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, run-of-the-mine, second-rate, so-so, standard, unexceptional, appropriate, correct, due, fitting, meet, proper, right, seemly, suitable, useful, worthy, gratifying, satisfying
   opposite: deficient, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, wanting
   near: disagreeable, disreputable, improper, indecent, objectionable, unfit, unsuitable, unworthy, useless, wrong, bad, cheap, defective, faulty, imperfect, incomplete, lamentable, pitiful, shoddy, dissatisfying, insufficient, meager, mean, miserly, poor, scanty, shabby, short, skimpy, spare, stingy, insufferable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable, atrocious, execrable, miserable, vile, wretched, exceptional, exquisite, extreme, fancy, first-class, high-grade, matchless, maximized, maximum, optimal, optimum, peerless, preeminent, premium, special, supreme, unmatched, unparalleled, A1, bang-up, banner, boss (slang), capital, classic, crackerjack, dandy, divine, fabulous, first-rate, grand, great, groovy, heavenly, jim-dandy, keen, marvelous, neat, nifty, noble, par excellence, prime, sensational, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, swell, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, unsurpassed, wonderful