cromulent
Adequate, if humorously
Cromulent means acceptable, legitimate, or fine—used with ironic self-awareness since the word was invented for a 1996 episode of *The Simpsons*.
A character defends the made-up word "embiggen" by saying it's "a perfectly cromulent word." The joke—using one fake word to validate another—gave cromulent genuine currency among people who enjoy linguistic playfulness: Is "impactful" cromulent? Depends who you ask.
Newly created expression
- coinedCreated a new term
- fabricatedInvented, not real
- constructedBuilt or assembled
- concoctedCreated by combining elements
devised · fictitious · made-up · nonce word · portmanteau · embiggen · Simpsons · Springfield
Able to convince
- credibleWorthy of acceptance
- acceptableMeeting minimum standards
- passableMinimally sufficient quality
- adequateBarely meeting standards
satisfactory · sufficient · reasonable · legitimate · valid · sound · feasible · convincing
neologism
Newly created expression
- coinedCreated a new term
- fabricatedInvented, not real
- constructedBuilt or assembled
concocted · devised · fictitious · made-up · nonce word · portmanteau · embiggen · Simpsons · Springfield · coinage
believable
Able to convince
- credibleWorthy of acceptance
- acceptableMeeting minimum standards
- passableMinimally sufficient quality
adequate · satisfactory · sufficient · reasonable · legitimate · valid · sound · feasible · convincing · tenable
tongue-in-cheek
Humorously not meant literally
- deadpanExpressionless, especially for humor
- facetiousHumorously inappropriate or glib
- satiricalMocking through exaggeration
self-aware · knowing · winking · absurdist · meta · parody · send-up · lampoon · pseudo-intellectual
cromulentunacceptable
Not meeting required standards
inadequate · terrible · bad · awful · horrible
cromulentillegitimate
Not authorized or recognized
invalid · bogus · spurious · dubious · questionable