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So far so good

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

So far so good indicates that progress up to the present moment has been satisfactory or successful, though it implies uncertainty about future outcomes; in narrative poetry, it may signal temporary relief before an impending complication or twist.

Detailed Definition
So far so good means that progress has been satisfactory up to the present, though the outcome is not yet certain. In poetry, the idiom can create cautious optimism during a journey, illness, plan, relationship, or moral test. It acknowledges both success and suspense. A poet may use it to mark an interval before trouble returns or before fulfilment arrives. The phrase is useful because it holds time in balance: the past has gone well, but the future remains open.
Example
Example in poetry:
A journey poem might say so far, so good as the road stays dry and the wheels keep turning; In a comic quest, so far, so good usually comes just before the dragon wakes; The phrase means things have gone well up to this point; A poet can use it for suspense or relief.
Additional Notes
So far, so good means progress is satisfactory up to the present, while leaving the future uncertain. In poetry, it can create suspense, modest optimism, or comic understatement. The phrase is useful in journeys, illnesses, plans, relationships, and risky enterprises where success is provisional. Students should notice the temporal structure: the speaker measures the path already travelled but cannot guarantee what lies ahead. It pairs well with roads, ledgers, weather, and held breath.
Also Known As
progressing well
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