typical

adjective

typ·​i·​cal ˈti-pi-kəl 

1

a

: combining or exhibiting the essential characteristics of a group

a typical New England winter

their typical response

the typical college experience

b

: conforming to a type

a specimen typical of the species

2

: constituting or having the nature of a type : symbolic

typicality

ˌti-pə-ˈka-lə-tē 

noun

typicalness

ˈti-pi-kəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of typical

• normal
• average
• standard
• usual
• true

Choose the Right Synonym for typical

regular, normal, typical, natural mean being of the sort or kind that is expected as usual, ordinary, or average.

regular stresses conformity to a rule, standard, or pattern.

the club's regular monthly meeting

normal implies lack of deviation from what has been discovered or established as the most usual or expected.

normal behavior for a two-year-old

typical implies showing all important traits of a type, class, or group and may suggest lack of strong individuality.

a typical small town

natural applies to what conforms to a thing's essential nature, function, or mode of being.

the natural love of a mother for her child

Examples of typical in a Sentence

It was his typical response.

It was a typical Saturday night for us.

We wanted him to have the typical college experience of living on campus.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Arena is Princess’ newest incarnation of the typical cruise ship theater space, where up to 900 passengers can watch the twice-nightly show performed on a revolving stage. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026

By Sunday, the snowpack was at 73% of the typical level, per data from the California Department of Water Resources. —Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026

Klumpe has helped increase the number of members from 15 to as many as 150, with an average of 90 attendees for the typical weekly Tuesday morning meeting. —Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026

Stepping into Trader Joe’s is a grocery experience of colors, cartoon lettering, and bargain buys unlike other typical supermarkets. —Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 24 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin typicalis, from typicus, from Greek typikos, from typos model — more at type entry 1

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for typical

• atypical
• untypical
• prototypical
• stereotypical

Kids Definition

typical

adjective

typ·​i·​cal ˈtip-i-kəl 

: combining or showing the special characteristics of a group or kind

a typical school lunch

typically

-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Medical Definition

typical

adjective

typ·​i·​cal ˈtip-i-kəl 

: conforming to a type

a typical specimen

typical symptoms of a disease