ˌən-ik-ˈsep-sh(ə-)nəl
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events
the physicist, now regarded as one of the brightest minds in science, was an unexceptional student as a child
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 unexceptional
Dad had always told me his father was a naval officer who'd had an unexceptional career and died suddenly in a traffic accident.
—
CBS News,
5 Dec. 2025
The monologue that led to Kimmel’s involuntary hiatus was thoroughly unexceptional for the show.
—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
19 Sep. 2025
Aaron Rodgers has plenty to prove heading into the Pittsburgh Steelers' season opener after a rather unexceptional 2024 from both a team and an individual perspective.
—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
The site includes several unexceptional museums housed in palaces, but two must-see attractions are the Mosque of Mohammed Ali and the Gawhara Terrace for a fantastic view over Cairo.
—
Nada El Sawy,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for unexceptional
CBS News,
5 Dec. 2025
The monologue that led to Kimmel’s involuntary hiatus was thoroughly unexceptional for the show.
—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
19 Sep. 2025
Aaron Rodgers has plenty to prove heading into the Pittsburgh Steelers' season opener after a rather unexceptional 2024 from both a team and an individual perspective.
—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
The site includes several unexceptional museums housed in palaces, but two must-see attractions are the Mosque of Mohammed Ali and the Gawhara Terrace for a fantastic view over Cairo.
—
Nada El Sawy,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for unexceptional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unexceptional
Adjective
-
According to Roberts, Treinen felt normal after the game.
-
The lower-than-normal system voltage from a weak battery, failing alternator, slipping belt or poor electrical connection can affect the electric power steering system.
Adjective
-
This high-impact look is a bit out of the ordinary for the star, save for that show-stopping blue eye makeup look—a literal something blue—to conclude The Drama press in April.
-
My situation was, on some level, achingly ordinary.
Adjective
-
As Strong spoke with state reporters this week on campus, her answers were even more clipped than usual, almost terse.
-
Thirteen-year-old MGP rye bottled at 112 proof is a recipe for success, a classic rye style that is aged for longer than usual and bottled at a higher proof, which means less dilution, more flavor, and a deeper palate.
Adjective
-
Next year, these plans for retirees will increase on average by less than 1%.
-
How heat can impact the body Typically, during extreme heat -- meaning temperatures are hotter or more humid than average -- the body tries to cool itself by sweating.
Adjective
-
The researchers said a household needs an income of roughly $120,000 to afford a typical home these days.
-
Quantum computing can boost capacity beyond that of a typical computer.
Adjective
-
The Heat also has the ability to purchase an additional second-round pick or sell its second-round selection, which has become commonplace over the years.
-
Rather than being exceptions, such landmarks are commonplace in Cambridge.
Adjective
-
But now, having a robotic vacuum, mop, lawn mower or pool cleaner is fairly unremarkable.
-
That soft, fleshy and unremarkable earlobe is, from a biological standpoint, a strange evolutionary remnant.
Cite this Entry
“Unexceptional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unexceptional. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
