だけましだAt least; the saving grace is
だけましだ concedes that a situation is bad or inadequate, while identifying one limited feature that makes it better than an even worse possibility. It often corresponds to “at least” or “the saving grace is that...”
Finding the one good point
The clause immediately before だけ states the limited positive factor. The rest of the context shows the broader problem and makes a worse alternative easy to imagine.
Resigned consolation
In each example, the situation is still undesirable; the highlighted fact merely prevents it from being worse.
The worse alternative may be unstated
You do not have to name the worse possibility directly, but the listener must be able to recover it. If a job has no overtime, for example, the implied comparison is with a similarly difficult job that also requires overtime.
Different verb, adjective, and noun forms
Saving grace or direct comparison?
だけましだ looks downward: the current situation is bad, but one fact keeps it from being worse. よりましだ and ほうがましだ directly compare two imperfect alternatives. By contrast, に越したことはない looks upward to an ideal or preferable state and does not require the present situation to be bad.
More examples
けがはしたが、骨折しなかっただけましだ。
I was injured, but at least I did not break any bones.
Analyze電車は遅れたものの、運休にならなかっただけましだ。
The train was delayed, but at least it was not canceled.
Analyze席は一番後ろだが、座れるだけましだ。
The seat is right at the back, but at least I can sit down.
Analyze今日はかなり寒いが、雨が降っていないだけましだ。
It is quite cold today, but at least it is not raining.
Analyze予算は減ったが、計画そのものが中止にならなかっただけましだ。
The budget was cut, but at least the plan itself was not canceled.
Analyze古い端末で使いにくいが、まだ動くだけましだ。
It is an old device and difficult to use, but at least it still works.
Analyze