Decent vs Reasonable

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Decent

Top 2,000 (common) B2 adjective

Reasonable

Top 2,000 (common) B2 adjective

	Decent	Reasonable
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈdiːsnt/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈdiːsnt/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈriːznəbl/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈriːznəbl/"]/
Meaning	Good enough; acceptable.	Fair and sensible; not extreme.
Example	She has a decent understanding of the topic.	It is reasonable to assume that the meeting will start on time.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	B2	B2
Part of speech	adjective	adjective
Collocations	be, look, really, very, perfectly, to, be, very, really, perfectly, do the decent thing, be, look, really, very, perfectly, to	appear, be, look, extremely, fairly, very, appear, be, look, extremely, fairly, very, appear, be, look, extremely, fairly, very
Antonyms	poor, subpar, inferior	unreasonable, irrational, excessive
Common mistakes	Using 'decent' to mean 'excellent' instead of 'acceptable'., Confusing it with 'descent' or 'recent'.	Confused with 'rational' which is more about logic than fairness., Using 'reasonable' to describe an extreme opinion or action., Incorrectly spelling it as 'resonable'.
Usage notes	Use 'decent' when describing something that meets basic standards but isn't exceptional. It's suitable for most contexts but may sound too casual in very formal situations.	Typically used to describe actions, opinions, or decisions that are logical. Avoid in overly emotional contexts or when discussing extreme views.

See it in real clips

Captain, the decent thing to do

Succession › S1 E1

Logan, himself, has made a decent way for himself these past 60 years.

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

We're not in decent places.

Captain, the decent thing to do

Succession › S1 E1

Logan, himself, has made a decent way for himself these past 60 years.

Decent

but only in matters of business with reasonable complaint.

a reasonable doubt...

Well, at the time I was told it sounded reasonable.

but only in matters of business with reasonable complaint.

a reasonable doubt...

Reasonable

Frequently asked questions: Decent vs Reasonable

What's the difference between Decent and Reasonable?

Decent: Good enough; acceptable. Reasonable: Fair and sensible; not extreme.

Are Decent and Reasonable the same CEFR level?

Decent: B2, Reasonable: B2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Decent and Reasonable?

Decent: adjective, Reasonable: adjective.

Can you show an example of each?

Decent: She has a decent understanding of the topic. Reasonable: It is reasonable to assume that the meeting will start on time.

Can I use Decent and Reasonable interchangeably?

Not always. Decent and Reasonable are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.