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

Theobromine levels in dark chocolate also vary widely by cocoa content, with food chemistry analyses showing that a typical 40-gram bar can contain roughly 200 to 400 milligrams. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 13 Dec. 2025

From Friday night into Saturday morning, strong winds are expected to redevelop along the Front Range mountains and foothills, especially in typical wind-prone areas. —Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025

Forecasts expect a return to more typical wintry temperatures by later in the month and into the new year as the polar vortex retreats back to the north — and La Niña returns to prominence. —Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Dec. 2025

The characters are on a lower pay scale than your typical showy Hollywood setting, yet still look past initial pride and prejudices to find a love story for the ages in a humble stockroom. —Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025

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