commonplace

noun

com·mon·place | \ ˈkä-mən-ˌplās

Definition of commonplace

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 archaic : a striking passage entered in a commonplace book

2a : an obvious or trite comment : truism It is a commonplace that a fool and his money are soon parted.

b : something commonly found A smartphone is a commonplace.

commonplace

adjective

Definition of commonplace (Entry 2 of 2)

: commonly found or seen : ordinary, unremarkable a commonplace occurrence the large mergers that had become commonplace Computers are commonplace in classrooms.

Other Words from commonplace Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about commonplace

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Examples of commonplace in a Sentence

Noun

It is a commonplace that we only use a small part of our brain's capacity. We now accept cell phones and laptop computers as commonplaces of everyday life.

Adjective

Drug use has become commonplace at rock concerts. He photographed commonplace objects like lamps and bowls.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Among the challenges to making DNA data storage commonplace are the costs and speed of reading and writing DNA, which need to drop even further if the approach is to compete with electronic storage. — Sang Yup Lee, Scientific American, "DNA Data Storage Is Closer Than You Think," 1 July 2019 Fitness tracking isn't a new idea, but as the technology expands it's becoming more commonplace in the workplace. — Alexandria Groth, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Marquette University employees sign up for fitness trackers that record their steps, sleep," 14 June 2019 Linked cameras are becoming commonplace in cities like New York and Baltimore. — Timothy Williams, New York Times, "Can 30,000 Cameras Help Solve Chicago’s Crime Problem?," 26 May 2018 This combination - falling numbers of psychiatric hospital beds coupled with rising use of emergency departments by psychiatric patients - has made psychiatric boarding commonplace across the country. — Nathaniel Morris, chicagotribune.com, "Even suicidal patients are put on the ER wait list," 23 May 2018 Dog birthday parties, once rare, are becoming commonplace as people aim to shower furry family members with extra love. — Stephanie Granada, Sunset, "How to Throw the Best-Ever Dog Birthday Party," 22 Jan. 2018 Kiddie-friendly bounce houses have become commonplace at summer festivals, but there’s nothing common about the one headed for Fraser this weekend. — Greg Crawford, Detroit Free Press, "The weekend: Big Bounce in Fraser, Motor City Pride, Art of Fire in Royal Oak," 5 June 2019 As ride-hailing apps such as Uber have become commonplace, the companies have faced scrutiny over working conditions and pay for drivers, who are classified as independent contractors, rather than employees. — Heidi Groover, The Seattle Times, "Man accused of shooting Uber driver in Seattle said he had 7 or 8 tequila shots before gun went off," 18 May 2019 Trump's tweet also made the idea of having a lawyer on retainer to deal with a threat like Daniels' commonplace. — Z. Byron Wolf, CNN, "It is officially impossible to understand what Trump is saying about Stormy Daniels," 4 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

To reach it, father and son scaled scaffolding without the aid of safety belts, which now are commonplace. — Colleen Shalby, latimes.com, "It was the Coliseum’s mystery mural, until a teenage detective solved its 50-year puzzle," 12 July 2019 Fortunately for the Norwegian EV tourist, electric vehicles are becoming so pervasive as to be commonplace. — Brett Berk, WIRED, "Norway Invites You to Explore Its Electric Vehicle Paradise," 6 July 2019 Long, narrow conference rooms are commonplace, but that doesn't always reflect how people use the space. — Candace Braun Davison, House Beautiful, "It's Hard to Believe This Is the Same Office," 28 June 2019 Such bans are commonplace during the summer, but the successive waves of rain this winter and spring caused extra growth in hillside grasses. — John King, SFChronicle.com, "Debris burning banned during fire season in six North Bay counties," 15 June 2019 Thanks to capital controls, piles of cash are trapped inside China with few investment options beyond the country’s stock markets, where sky-high valuations are commonplace. — Jacky Wong, WSJ, "Xiaomi IPO Gets a Vital Helping Hand From Home," 12 June 2018 The third of four children, Zarda grew up on a Missouri estate where horses, chickens and stray cats were commonplace. — Vanessa Chesnut /, NBC News, "Plaintiff at center of landmark gay-rights case never got to witness his victory," 3 Mar. 2018 The world, and workplaces, should be filled with such forms, and gender inclusivity ought to be both sensitive and commonplace. — Lila Maclellan, Quartz at Work, "Those she/her/hers at the end of email messages are more than a passing trend," 24 June 2019 Once commonplace issues, like balky transmissions and faltering engines, had become more the exception than the norm. — NBC News, "Porsche, Kia top list of highest-quality cars, with Land Rover and Jaguar among the worst," 19 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'commonplace.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.