# ish

/ˈɪʃ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ish
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. somewhat or approximately

adverb · CEFR B2 · Informal · Slang

used to mean 'kind of' or 'more or less' when you are not being exact.

For teachers: used as a standalone adverb to indicate a degree of approximation or to qualify a previous statement as being only partially true.

- Are you finished with your homework? Ish.
- When asked if the project was nearing completion, he replied with a non-committal 'ish', suggesting there were still several minor tasks to resolve.

### 2. nonsense or stuff

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · American English

a polite way to say 'shit' when talking about stuff, nonsense, or things you do not like.

For teachers: a euphemistic substitution for 'shit', used to refer to possessions, nonsense, or undesirable situations without using a profanity.

- I need to get all my ish together before we move to the new house.
- The artist claimed he was tired of dealing with the industry ish and just wanted to focus on his music again.

## Examples

- I will be there at seven-ish.
- The project is finished-ish, but I still need to check the final numbers before sending it.
- When asked if the repairs were complete, he replied with a non-committal 'ish', suggesting that while the main work was done, several minor tasks remained.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.