Meh means so-so or nothing special. People say it about a film, food or an event that didn't impress them: not bad, but nothing to get excited about. Meh can be a reply on its own (How was it? — Meh.) or a verdict inside a sentence: It was a bit meh.
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meh (as a reply); meh, + reason; it was (a bit / pretty / kind of) meh
- How was the new burger place? — Meh, the fries were cold and the buns were dry.
- The first season was great, but the second one was pretty meh.
- I expected the concert to be amazing, but honestly it was a bit meh.
What changed
First versionDear Sir or Madam, I stayed at your hotel last week, and the breakfast was meh.
RevisionDear Sir or Madam, I stayed at your hotel last week, and the breakfast was disappointing.
A letter to a hotel is a formal complaint, while meh comes from chatting with friends and sounds unserious in this kind of text. You need a neutral adjective with the same meaning: disappointing. The rest of the sentence stays the same.
Don't confuse meh with not bad. Not bad sounds approving and often even means good: The pasta was not bad at all. Meh, on the other hand, is an indifferent shrug. In an essay, write unremarkable or disappointing instead of meh; in IELTS Speaking, nothing special or it was just okay work well.
Your turn
How was the party last night? — ___. Nothing bad happened, but it was pretty boring, so I left early.
Show the answer
Meh — Nothing bad happened, it was just boring, and that's exactly meh, so-so. Yikes expresses fear or alarm, and there's nothing to be scared of at a boring party.
Write to a friend about a film, series or café that didn't impress you. Use meh and give one specific reason.
The new pizza place was kind of meh because the base was soggy.
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