not bad
Acceptable, nothing special
Not bad is a deliberate understatement expressing moderate approval or pleasant surprise.
When someone asks how you're doing and you say not bad, you mean reasonably well.
Applied to things, it signals they exceeded low expectations: This coffee's not bad.
The phrase can also acknowledge genuine quality while withholding full enthusiasm: She's not bad at chess—meaning she's actually quite good.
Adequate or permitted
- all rightSatisfactory or unharmed
- fineAcceptable in quality
- so-soIndifferently average quality
- could be worseGrudging mild acceptance
nothing special · meh · eh · shrug · tepid · lukewarm · noncommittal · indifferent
Barely meeting standards
- sufficientMeeting minimum requirements
- satisfactoryMeeting minimum requirements
- serviceableFit for purpose
- reasonableShowing sound judgment
up to par · good enough · meets expectations · suitable · competent · workable · functional · acceptable
Reasonably satisfactory quality
- decentAcceptably good
- respectableWorthy of regard
- impressiveEvoking admiration or awe
- commendableWorthy of approval
pleasantly surprised · kudos · well done · nice work · thumbs up · approval · endorsement · praise
Conflicting emotional responses
- uncertainNot firmly known
- on the fenceNot yet committed
- conflictedEmotionally at odds
- undecidedNot having chosen
hesitant · wavering · torn · equivocal · unsure · doubtful · tentative · reservations
okay
Adequate or permitted
could be worse · nothing special · meh · eh · shrug · tepid · lukewarm · noncommittal · indifferent · unenthusiastic
adequate
Barely meeting standards
- sufficientMeeting minimum requirements
- satisfactoryMeeting minimum requirements
- serviceableFit for purpose
reasonable · up to par · good enough · meets expectations · suitable · competent · workable · functional · acceptable · standard
pretty good
Reasonably satisfactory quality
- decentAcceptably good
- respectableWorthy of regard
- impressiveEvoking admiration or awe
commendable · pleasantly surprised · kudos · well done · nice work · thumbs up · approval · endorsement · praise · recognition
mixed feelings
Conflicting emotional responses
- uncertainNot firmly known
- on the fenceNot yet committed
- conflictedEmotionally at odds
undecided · hesitant · wavering · torn · equivocal · unsure · doubtful · tentative · reservations · hedging
- Understatementlitotes, meiosis, downplay, minimizing, undersell
- informal approvalokay, cool, nice, great, awesome
- adequacyadequate, enough, sufficient, satisfactory, acceptable
- Feedback Phrasesgood job, well done, nice work, great job, excellent
- almostalmost, nearly, about, approximately, roughly
- phrasesnoun phrases, noun phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase, prepositional phrases