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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in honorable

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Port selection is decent, and the inclusion of a wireless keyboard and mouse is a nice perk. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026 My sympathies are entirely with Prince William, who's a thoroughly honorable, decent young man who's just had it with his brother and wants nothing to do with him. — Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Johnson cited vintage Seiko diver watches, Omega sports watches, and modern Tudor watches as decent collectibles. — Joe D'allegro, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026 There was a decent amount of quick-game stuff mixed in to mitigate the line’s early-season struggles, but Love wasn’t sacked and only absorbed two quarterback hits. — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for decent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decent

Adjective

The woman and her children lived in the nice part of the house and the foster girls — three to five at a time — ate dinner separately in the basement.

— Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
In an era where millions of recipes are made for content consumption as much as actual consumption, traveling back in time for someone’s beloved 1970 banana bread recipe sounds pretty nice.

— Candy Hom, AJC.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of nice

Adjective

Months later, a report found the state hadn't complied with its own lethal injection process since its revision in 2018, resulting in executions being conducted without proper testing of the drugs.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
Guadagnino speaks in calligraphy; adjectives almost certainly accompany a proper name — the extraordinary, the wonderful, the genius.

— E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of proper

Adjective

Kerry’s pure love for her son despite his precarious origins is a meaningful emotional fulcrum.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Individually, the songs on Beat were largely recognizable in the broader indie rock world—post-rock and shoegaze live alongside torchy trip-hop and pure ambient.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of pure

Adjective

Lucy’s constant sense of invention sometimes falters under the album’s new, megawatt spotlight, lacking the enticing mystery that gives their best music its power.

— H.D. Angel, Pitchfork, 8 Oct. 2026
Among those surveyed, Latinos who didn’t vote in 2024 were more likely than those who had voted to have economic frustrations, like struggling to earn enough money or find a good job.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of good

Adjective

Ask each business owner to absorb the run-rate at renewal, and the honest answer arrives faster than any dashboard.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Each episode, the brutally honest Ramsay comes in to help the struggling restaurant fix its problems or its negative image, and in turn the restaurants get publicity from being on a national television show.

— Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of honest

Adjective

Those records show that throughout the ER trips, Henry Ford employees and ambulance workers generally found Tingley cooperative and polite.

— Jordan Rau, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
The community nurse hadn’t even bothered to rewrite it, and the polite doctor simply stamped under her amendments.

— Alicja Turczyk, The Dial, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of polite

Browse Nearby Words

decency

decent

decently

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Decent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decent. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of decent

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes