Definition of pretty good
Short definition: The phrase pretty good is used to say that something is satisfactory, enjoyable, or better than expected without being amazing, and it often sounds relaxed, modest, and friendly in everyday conversation.
Looking for a clear and natural explanation of the phrase pretty good? The phrase pretty good is very common in everyday English and is often used to give mild praise. It usually means something is better than average but not perfect or amazing. People use it when they feel satisfied but not overly impressed. You will hear it in casual conversations, reviews, and quick reactions. Below, each meaning is explained in a calm and natural way, so it feels human, clear, and easy to use correctly.
Forms: pretty good
Related: good adj., decent adj., okay adj.
Syllable: pret-ty good
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Better than average and clearly positive but not perfect or outstanding.
Pretty good describes something that meets expectations and feels satisfying without being amazing.
The movie was pretty good, entertaining enough to enjoy on a quiet evening but not something he would watch again soon.Her presentation went pretty good, with only a few small mistakes that did not really affect the overall message.The food was pretty good, filling and tasty even though it was not the best meal they had ever had.Synonyms: decent, fairly good, quite good, not bad, solid, satisfactory, respectable, okay plus, good enough, reasonably good, acceptable, positive
Antonyms: bad, poor, terrible, disappointing, awful, unsatisfying, mediocre, weak, low quality, terrible result, unacceptable, negative -
Used as a relaxed response to say things are going well.
People often say pretty good as a casual reply when asked how things are going, showing they feel fine without being overly excited.
When asked how work was going, he smiled and said it was pretty good so far.She answered pretty good when her friend checked in, meaning nothing was wrong.Life felt pretty good lately, calm and manageable without major stress.Synonyms: doing fine, not bad, all good, okay, going well, decent enough, feeling fine, doing alright, fairly well, good overall, stable, positive enough
Antonyms: not good, struggling, rough, bad, stressful, going poorly, terrible, difficult, hard times, not okay, overwhelmed, negative -
(Slang) A mild compliment that avoids sounding too enthusiastic.
In slang and casual speech, pretty good is often used to give praise while staying modest, relaxed, or slightly understated.
He said the new phone was pretty good, which from him meant he actually liked it a lot.She described the concert as pretty good, even though she had a great time.Online reviews often say something is pretty good when it is better than expected.Synonyms: solid, nice, decent, cool, not bad at all, respectable, okayish positive, fairly impressive, quietly good, low key praise, mild approval, subtle compliment
Antonyms: amazing, incredible, outstanding, terrible, awful, disappointing, boring, weak, unimpressive, very bad, overhyped, poor