commonplace

1 of 2

adjective

com·​mon·​place ˈkä-mən-ˌplās 

: commonly found or seen : ordinary, unremarkable

a commonplace occurrence

the large mergers that had become commonplace

Computers are commonplace in classrooms.

commonplaceness noun

commonplace

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: an obvious or trite comment : truism

It is a commonplace that you don't know what you've got till it's gone.

b

: something commonly found

A smartphone is a commonplace.

2

archaic : a striking passage entered in a commonplace book

Synonyms of commonplace

Adjective

• normal
• ordinary
• usual
• typical
• common
• average

Noun

• cliché
• truism
• banality
• trope
• platitude
• bromide

Examples of commonplace in a Sentence

Adjective

Drug use has become commonplace at rock concerts.

He photographed commonplace objects like lamps and bowls.

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Underneath the asphalt, a former trolley line used in the days before cars were commonplace in Louisville was found. —Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Nov. 2025

My household has had good fortune with the National Geographic geology labs that are commonplace in big-box stores, including the build-your-own-volcano set ($15) and the crystal-growing gear, like this glow-in-the-dark number ($37). —Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 15 Nov. 2025

Noun

Plot details are under wraps, but that's commonplace for a Perkins project. —Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Nov. 2025

Ion gauges are relatively cheap (under US $1,000) and commonplace. —IEEE Spectrum, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

translation of Latin locus communis widely applicable argument, translation of Greek koinos topos

First Known Use

Adjective

1616, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1531, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing commonplace

• commonplace book

Rhymes for commonplace

• aerospace
• anatase
• anyplace
• cyberspace
• database
• diabase
• diastase
• dnase
• elastase
• fireplace
• hyperspace
• interface

Kids Definition

commonplace

1 of 2 noun

com·​mon·​place ˈkäm-ən-ˌplās 

: something that is often seen, heard, or met with

commonplace

2 of 2 adjective

: very common or ordinary