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

Yes, these stylish Clarks boots come up higher than your typical ankle boot, but the slouchy material gives them a more casual look that still works equally well with cropped culottes or midi skirts. — Abby Hepworth, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2026

Eschewing the model’s typical leather build, the luxe-leaning spin on the brand’s Air Max sneaker boot is covered in tonal black pony hair across the entirety of its upper. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 5 Nov. 2026

That’s close to the typical high of 58 degrees and low of 38 degrees for this time of year. — Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2026

Marchetto was keen to push beyond the typical bridal redesign, instead opting for tailored trousers and a matching bomber jacket with heavily embellished cuffs. — Bella Webb, Vogue, 5 Nov. 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