What does 'not too bad' mean when someone asks how you are?

What it means: Quite good, often better than just acceptable. In British English especially, "not too bad" is a classic understatement — it usually means things are going reasonably well.

The understatement principle: British English has a strong tradition of downplaying positive feelings to seem modest. Saying "it's great!" about your day can sound boastful. "Not too bad" signals contentment without seeming to show off about it.

• "Terrible" → very bad
• "Not great" → bad
• "Could be worse" → okay/acceptable
• "Not too bad" → good, sometimes quite good
• "Not bad at all" → quite good
• "Can't complain" → good (see related entry)

Who says it: Primarily British and Irish English. Australians and New Zealanders also use it. Americans are more likely to say "pretty good" or "good, thanks."

Register: Casual conversation. The standard response to "how are you?" when you're doing well but don't want to make a thing of it.

Tags: British English, greetings, understatement, how are you