so-so

or so so

[ soh-soh, soh-soh ]

adjective

1. Also soso. 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

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

From Los Angeles Times

After a so-so January ended with the Lakers getting blown out on back-to-back nights in Houston and Atlanta, James posted an hourglass emoji on social media, a reminder that his patience was waning.

From Los Angeles Times

Despite his so-so results, Zhou is a being promoted as a celebrity in China.

From Seattle Times

Together, they set a record for confirmations in a president’s first year in office, though the pace was only “so-so,” as Wheeler put it, by the end of last year.

From Los Angeles Times

In 2020, a late-summer dry lightning burst sparked scores of fires, turning a so-so season into the state’s worst on record.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• mediocre
• middling
• passable
• respectable
• undistinguished