DECENT Synonyms: 353 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'decent' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of decent are chaste , modest , and pure . While all these words mean "free from all taint of what is lewd or salacious," modest and decent apply especially to deportment and dress as outward signs of inward chastity or purity. // preferred more modest swimsuits // decent people didn't go to such movies

Q: When is 'chaste' a more appropriate choice than 'decent'?

The meanings of chaste and decent largely overlap; however, chaste primarily implies a refraining from acts or even thoughts or desires that are not virginal or not sanctioned by marriage vows. // they maintained chaste relations

Q: How do 'pure' and 'chaste' relate to one another, in the sense of 'decent'?

Pure differs from chaste in implying innocence and absence of temptation rather than control of one's impulses and actions. // the pure of heart

decent

adjective

ˈdē-sᵊnt

Definition of decent

as in nice

conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue as decent and kind a couple as you could ever hope to meet

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in honorable

following the accepted rules of moral conduct demanded nothing less than decent behavior by the troops serving overseas

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as in proper

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

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as in pure

free from any trace of the coarse or indecent students were warned that their skits could be funny but still had to remain decent

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in adequate

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

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word decent distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of decent are chaste, modest, and pure. While all these words mean "free from all taint of what is lewd or salacious," modest and decent apply especially to deportment and dress as outward signs of inward chastity or purity.

preferred more modest swimsuits

decent people didn't go to such movies

When is chaste a more appropriate choice than decent?

The meanings of chaste and decent largely overlap; however, chaste primarily implies a refraining from acts or even thoughts or desires that are not virginal or not sanctioned by marriage vows.

they maintained chaste relations

How do pure and chaste relate to one another, in the sense of decent?

Pure differs from chaste in implying innocence and absence of temptation rather than control of one's impulses and actions.

the pure of heart

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of decent The bedrooms are pretty small, although the primary bedroom comes with some decent closet space. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 31 Aug. 2026 My favorite is the Strawberry Lemonade, which packs a decent punch despite its Level 1 rating. — Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026 Rocket Mortgage customer service ratings Rocket Mortgage has decent customer review ratings, although the actual score and customer satisfaction rating depend on the platform. — Dan Simms, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026 Having the movie actually make some decent money is just gravy. — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for decent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decent

Adjective

This one is a nice pick for yourself or someone else who wants to try a handful of trending beauty brands to find their new holy grail products.

— Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 31 Aug. 2026
The brown one’s okay, but purple — looking royal — that’d be nice.

— Maria Bamford, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of nice

Adjective

Potassium is a mineral your body needs for proper heart and muscle function.

— Zia Sherrell, HEALTH, 31 Aug. 2026
Bailey, who also serves as Bank of England governor, warned about the absence of proper guardrails around the technology, underscored by recent incidents in which frontier AI models being tested went rogue.

— Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of proper

Adjective

Sanft argued his client’s account was pure fiction, and that investigators failed to quickly and vigorously corroborate it for a reason.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2026
These sneakers also come in a wide variety of colors and trims if pure white isn’t your thing.

— Rebecca Shinners, Travel + Leisure, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of pure

Adjective

Asked why the public should trust internal auditing as an adequate replacement for public oversight, given that many agencies allowed their own officers’ conduct to go unchecked for years, Flock did not respond.

— Kenny Jacoby, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Whether through psychological detachment, restorative activities like sauna, or adequate sleep, recovery protects the capacities leaders need to operate effectively.

— Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of adequate

Adjective

In other words, what happens when their agreeable or polite approach to attaining something doesn’t work?

— Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Tell us about the crew From the waitstaff in the restaurants to the bartenders to the butler, the crew members were unfailingly polite and helpful.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of polite

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“Decent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decent. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of decent

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