uncommon

adjective

un·​com·​mon ˌən-ˈkä-mən 

1

: not ordinarily encountered : unusual

an uncommon plant

2

: remarkable, exceptional

a soldier of uncommon courage

uncommonly adverb

uncommonness

ˌən-ˈkä-mən-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of uncommon

• unusual
• extraordinary
• exceptional
• unique
• rare
• abnormal
• odd

Choose the Right Synonym for uncommon

infrequent, uncommon, scarce, rare, sporadic mean not common or abundant.

infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time.

infrequent family visits

uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation.

smallpox is now uncommon in many countries

scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance.

jobs were scarce during the Depression

rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value.

rare first editions

sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts.

sporadic cases of influenza

Examples of uncommon in a Sentence

It is not uncommon for people to become depressed after they retire.

an athlete with uncommon ability

a soldier of uncommon courage

She is an uncommon woman.

Recent Examples on the Web

There is too much going on here for this novel to work, but Andersen is an uncommon writer, a skilled historical novelist as well as an astute cultural observer and historical interpreter. — John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

This year, a Prancing Horse that takes provenance to redline was named Best of Show, an occurrence not that uncommon for cars owned by esteemed collector Bruce Meyer. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026

While these systems are normal for Indiana in August, the amount of rainfall is uncommon. — Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 14 Aug. 2026

Filtering transfer fees by age or position is not uncommon, but combining the two and then presenting it as a record feels a bit of a stretch. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for uncommon

• aman
• brahman
• brahmin
• common
• lawman

Kids Definition

uncommon

adjective

un·​com·​mon ˌən-ˈkäm-ən 

ˈən-

1

: not ordinarily found or experienced : unusual

not uncommon to catch a cold

2

: extraordinary, remarkable, exceptional

has uncommon ability

uncommonly adverb

uncommonness

-ən-nəs 

noun