common

adjective

ˈkä-mən How to pronounce common (audio)
Definition of commonnext
1
as in ordinary
often observed or encountered horse ranches are a common sight in that part of the state

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Relevance

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2
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events just a common house cat but an extraordinary friend

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3
as in general
belonging or relating to the whole facts of common knowledge

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4
as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank a man of wealth and privilege who mingled without pretense with the common folk

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5
as in prevailing
held by or applicable to a majority of the people a politician who works not for the special interests but for the common good

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6
as in collective
used or done by a number of people as a group used a common bathroom while at the campground

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7
as in mediocre
of average to below average quality has a common singing voice that's good enough for performing at those venues

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8
as in poor
of low quality furniture of common workmanship that did not justify the high prices

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9
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste embarrassed by the common manners of his new in-laws

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective common contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of common are familiar, ordinary, plain, popular, and vulgar. While all these words mean "generally met with and not in any way special, strange, or unusual," common implies usual everyday quality or frequency of occurrence and may additionally suggest inferiority or coarseness.

a common error
lacked common honesty
common manners

When would familiar be a good substitute for common?

The words familiar and common are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, familiar stresses the fact of being generally known and easily recognized.

a familiar melody

In what contexts can ordinary take the place of common?

The meanings of ordinary and common largely overlap; however, ordinary stresses conformance in quality or kind with the regular order of things.

an ordinary pleasant summer day
a very ordinary sort of man

When is plain a more appropriate choice than common?

While in some cases nearly identical to common, plain is likely to suggest homely simplicity.

plain hard-working people

When might popular be a better fit than common?

Although the words popular and common have much in common, popular applies to what is accepted by or prevalent among people in general sometimes in contrast to upper classes or special groups.

a writer of popular romances

How do vulgar and popular relate to one another, in the sense of common?

Vulgar, otherwise similar to popular, is likely to carry derogatory connotations (as of inferiority or coarseness).

souvenirs designed to appeal to the vulgar taste

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of common If the timing pointed out in this paper is accurate, McRae said the only candidate for the common ancestor of the Homo sapiens, Homo longi and Homo neanderthalensis would be Homo erectus. —Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025 This was a common accessory for religious brides at the time, as Grace Kelly also carried one for her 1956 wedding to Prince Rainier III. —Ariana Quihuiz, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025 Timm’s garden is a milkweed buffet with seven different kinds planted throughout, like swamp, ice ballet, cinderella, prairie, poke, common and butterfly milkweed. —Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 25 Sep. 2025 Healthcare providers also need this information in more common situations. —Alyssa Hui-Anderson, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for common
Recent Examples of Synonyms for common
  1. ordinary
  2. normal
  3. general
  4. low
  5. prevailing
  6. collective
  7. mediocre
  8. poor
Adjective
  • These extraordinary moments when ordinary people become demonic.
    — H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Nail enthusiasts know that the cat-eye effect is the magic touch that takes any manicure from ordinary to otherworldly.
    — Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 24 Sep. 2025
Definition of ordinary
Adjective
  • The threat was uncovered as part of the Secret Service's normal work of protecting the president, his family and key administration officials, the source said.
    — Tonya Simpson, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Temperatures will also return to near normal, climbing to around 76 degrees on Thursday.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 23 Sep. 2025
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • For more on the Washington Commanders and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
    — Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
  • That age group’s spending on general merchandise at clubs rose by 3% for January to July 2025 compared to the same period in the year prior, according to Circana, which tracks checkout data across retailers.
    — Melissa Repko, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025
Definition of general
Adjective
  • Major House personalities head for the door as 2026 rolls around, leaving many wondering how the lower chamber will change with these shifts.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 21 Sep. 2025
  • The defense for Texas has held up its end of the bargain, stopping the run well, allowing one of the lowest rushing yard totals per game in the country.
    — Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
Definition of low
Adjective
  • Dissent is nothing more than the expression of an opinion that varies from the prevailing or traditional view or the position held by those in power.
    — Elizabeth Shackelford, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025
Definition of prevailing
Adjective
  • The lyrics, rooted in his own experiences and the turbulent reality of the Civil Rights Movement, spoke to a collective longing for justice and a belief that progress—though slow—was inevitable.
    — Okla Jones, Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
  • And then in the hive, in the hot pink mists of our collective mind, a figure appeared.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
Definition of collective
Adjective
  • Silent Hill f's developers, NeoBards Entertainment, didn't have the best video game track record, mostly known for mediocre multiplayer Resident Evil spin-offs.
    — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
  • While the Panthers trailed throughout both games to begin the campaign, the rushing offense offered mediocre returns long before those matchups got out of hand and the Panthers were forced to lean heavily on their passing attack.
    — Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of mediocre
Adjective
  • There are 577 bridges in Milwaukee, and only 5% are considered to be in poor condition, according to a new Wisconsin Policy Forum report.
    — Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Last week, as financial panic escalated following Milei’s party’s poor showing in local elections, Argentina’s central bank spent more than $1 billion of its foreign currency reserves to keep the peso from collapsing.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
Definition of poor

Phrases Containing common

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commodores
common
commonalities
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Cite this Entry

“Common.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/common. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on common

Nglish: Translation of common for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about common

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