1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

common

adjective

ˈkä-mən How to pronounce common (audio)
Definition of commonnext
1
as in ordinary
often observed or encountered horse ranches are a common sight in that part of the state

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events just a common house cat but an extraordinary friend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in general
belonging or relating to the whole facts of common knowledge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank a man of wealth and privilege who mingled without pretense with the common folk

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in prevailing
held by or applicable to a majority of the people a politician who works not for the special interests but for the common good

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in collective
used or done by a number of people as a group used a common bathroom while at the campground

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in mediocre
of average to below average quality has a common singing voice that's good enough for performing at those venues

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in poor
of low quality furniture of common workmanship that did not justify the high prices

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste embarrassed by the common manners of his new in-laws

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective common contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of common are familiar, ordinary, plain, popular, and vulgar. While all these words mean "generally met with and not in any way special, strange, or unusual," common implies usual everyday quality or frequency of occurrence and may additionally suggest inferiority or coarseness.

a common error
lacked common honesty
common manners

When would familiar be a good substitute for common?

The words familiar and common are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, familiar stresses the fact of being generally known and easily recognized.

a familiar melody

In what contexts can ordinary take the place of common?

The meanings of ordinary and common largely overlap; however, ordinary stresses conformance in quality or kind with the regular order of things.

an ordinary pleasant summer day
a very ordinary sort of man

When is plain a more appropriate choice than common?

While in some cases nearly identical to common, plain is likely to suggest homely simplicity.

plain hard-working people

When might popular be a better fit than common?

Although the words popular and common have much in common, popular applies to what is accepted by or prevalent among people in general sometimes in contrast to upper classes or special groups.

a writer of popular romances

How do vulgar and popular relate to one another, in the sense of common?

Vulgar, otherwise similar to popular, is likely to carry derogatory connotations (as of inferiority or coarseness).

souvenirs designed to appeal to the vulgar taste

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of common Television news helicopter coverage has become one of the most important elements of any local newscast, with the high-flying helicopters roaring overhead a common fixture of breaking news scenes. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026 As is common with many documentary projects, the narrative took shape in the edit bay. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2026 What this means to you Delivery robots are becoming more common in public spaces. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026 Uterine fibroids are common, noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during a person’s reproductive years, according to the Mayo Clinic. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for common
Recent Examples of Synonyms for common
  1. ubiquitous
  2. normal
  3. general
  4. low
  5. prevailing
  6. collective
  7. ordinary
  8. poor
Adjective
  • As a ubiquitous fixture across the country, the chain provides a familiar, predictable environment that makes millions of members feel instantly at home.
    — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026
  • There was nothing that had escaped being stamped with the Festival’s ubiquitous emblem–sweets, cigarettes, perfume, even sandals–Specially designed to keep you cool and smartly shod for fun-loving Festival walking!
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of ubiquitous
Adjective
  • Difficult or disruptive events can create opportunities to enact changes or policies that would be hard to implement during normal times.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • According to the investigation, the shooting began as a road-rage dispute between the garbage truck driver, who was performing his normal route, and occupants of a white box truck that was blocking the roadway, the release stated.
    — Keily Alfonzo, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • Kyle Gardner, who has served as Wild Child’s general manager for more than a year and took over as Drastic Measures’ general manager following the staff exodus, said Sanders has not worked at the bars or been around for service since the party.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026
  • De facto general manager Duke Tobin defended his belief in them after the draft.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of general
Adjective
  • Officials touted the lowest official poverty rates on record for children and for Hispanic Americans, at about 13% of both groups.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Rooms on lower floors have at least partial views of the city.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of low
Adjective
  • The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy.
    — Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of prevailing
Adjective
  • Russian hybrid attacks are different from a traditional armed attack, but the alliance could theoretically trigger the collective defense clause in those cases.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The set-closer peaked with Campbell and Tench trading solos in an extended jam, only further whetting the crowd’s collective appetite for more and closing the case for a tour.
    — Adam Gold, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of collective
Adjective
  • Now, with growing bipartisan opposition to the rapid buildout of data centers suggest that even ordinary residents of communities and voters have increased power to help pace the frontier from the bottom up.
    — Bhaskar Chakravorti, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Still, this trip could answer questions that eventually affect far more ordinary electric vehicles.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of ordinary
Adjective
  • Renovation will only yield temporary improvement unless the original cause of a poor-quality lawn is remedied.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The consequences of a poor performance in the takeaway department sets a very high standard for rookies, something that can only bode well for the future.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of poor

Phrases Containing common

Browse Nearby Words

commodores
common
commonalities
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Common.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/common. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on common

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about common

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compendious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All