Praise through a negativeSourced
Not region-specific · English meaning
Not bad can mean considerably better than mediocre
Litotes can affirm a positive point through a negative expression. English not bad may mean mediocre or excellent depending on emphasis and context. The printed words alone do not fix how strong the praise is. The way they are delivered also matters.
A negative form can carry a positive evaluation.
Summary / translation: Unbubly · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Litotes · Wikimedia contributors
Adapted, summarized and translated from the source. Adapted text is also available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Reviewed: 2026-10-05