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View synonyms for

decent

[ dee-suhnt ]

adjective

  1. conforming to the recognized standard of propriety, good taste, modesty, etc., as in behavior or speech.

    Synonyms: , ,

    Antonyms:

  2. respectable; worthy:

    a decent family.

  3. adequate; fair; passable:

    a decent wage.

  4. kind; obliging; generous:

    It was very decent of him to lend me his watch.

  5. suitable; appropriate:

    She did not have a decent coat for the cold winter.

    Synonyms: , ,

    Antonyms:

  6. of fairly attractive appearance:

    a decent face.

  7. Informal. wearing enough clothing to appear in public.
  8. Slang. great; wonderful.


decent

/ ˈ徱ːəԳ /

adjective

  1. polite or respectable

    a decent family

  2. proper and suitable; fitting

    a decent burial

  3. conforming to conventions of sexual behaviour; not indecent
  4. free of oaths, blasphemy, etc

    decent language

  5. good or adequate

    a decent wage

  6. informal.
    kind; generous

    he was pretty decent to me

  7. informal.
    sufficiently clothed to be seen by other people

    are you decent?

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈ𳦱Գٱ, adverb
  • ˈ𳦱ԳٲԱ, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • cԳ· adverb
  • cԳ·Ա noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of decent1

First recorded in 1485–95; from Latin decent-, stem of ŧԲ “fitting,” present participle of ŧ “to be acceptable, be fitting”; akin to decus “honor” ( decorous )
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Word History and Origins

Origin of decent1

C16: from Latin ŧԲ suitable, from ŧ to be fitting
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Lots of teams really like Dart, who stands a decent chance of going in the first round.

From

In the face of a new enemy, al-Qaeda, the administration argued that the requirements for decent treatment of wartime detainees outlined in the Geneva Conventions had been rendered “quaint.”

From

It’s always been important to him to be decent, in a business that isn’t particularly.

From

A 48-year-old woman from Australia Road, White City Estate, London, has been charged with preventing a lawful and decent burial of a dead body and conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

From

had started as a “decent” year, Woodward said, ended with the Rangers limping to 78 wins.

From

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Decent Vs. Descent

’s the difference between decent and descent?

Decent is an adjective that means adequate or suitable, as in a decent meal, or good or respectable, as in a decent person. Descent is a noun that means the act of moving downward (descending), a downward movement, or downward movement in general.

Despite their similar spelling, the two words are pronounced differently. In decent, the emphasis is on the first part of the word, which is pronounced like dee. In descent, the emphasis is on the -scent part of the word, with the first part pronounced like dih.

So how can you remember which one gets the s? Dropping the s is the decent thing to do, but you should pick it back up for your descent.

Here’s an example of descent and dissent used correctly in a sentence.

Example: The climbers decided to make the descent while the weather was still decent.

Quiz yourself on decent vs. descent!

Should decent or descent be used in the following sentence?

The plane’s rapid _____ was caused by a faulty engine.

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