Cool MateMediocre vs Not great not terrible
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Mediocre
Top 2,000 (common)B1adjective
Not great not terrible
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Mediocre
| Mediocre | Not great not terrible | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˌmiː.dɪˈəʊ.kər//🇺🇸 //ˌmiː.dɪˈoʊ.kɚ// | 🇬🇧 //nɒt ɡreɪt nɒt ˈtɛrɪbəl//🇺🇸 //nɑt ɡreɪt nɑt ˈtɛrəbəl// |
| Meaning | Not very good or bad; just okay | It's okay, neither good nor bad. |
| Example | The movie received mediocre reviews from critics. | The movie was not great, not terrible; just what I expected. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | mediocre performance, mediocre quality, mediocre skills | not great not terrible experience, not great not terrible day, not great not terrible review |
| Antonyms | excellent, superb, outstanding | - |
| Common mistakes | Used interchangeably with 'average', which can be misleading in context., Confused with 'mediocrity', which is a noun., Overused in casual conversation, leading to a lack of impact. | Used in overly formal situations., Misunderstood as purely negative., Confused with similar phrases like 'meh'. |
| Usage notes | Typically used to describe performance, quality, or skill. Best avoided in formal contexts when possible; may be too negative in some situations. | Use this phrase in casual conversations to express a mixed or average opinion. It's informal and may not be suitable for formal contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Mediocre vs Not great not terrible
What's the difference between Mediocre and Not great not terrible?
Mediocre: Not very good or bad; just okay Not great not terrible: It's okay, neither good nor bad.
Which is more common: Mediocre and Not great not terrible?
Mediocre is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Mediocre: The movie received mediocre reviews from critics. Not great not terrible: The movie was not great, not terrible; just what I expected.
Can I use Mediocre and Not great not terrible interchangeably?
Not always. Mediocre and Not great not terrible 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.