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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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 He was endlessly condemned for anything those who hated him could come up with, including the common-sense approach of staying put during a deadly plague killing millions, and not breathing and coughing in other people’s faces. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026 On the subject of artistic quality, Roberts also suggested that the metric for success should not be limited to two of the most common, which tend to prioritize the role of the director and the importance of box-office. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 15 Aug. 2026 Drudgery remains the most common element in a serious political campaign. — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 15 Aug. 2026 Your lawn might look healthy, but some common practices can do more harm than good. — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for common
Recent Examples of Synonyms for common
  1. ubiquitous
  2. normal
  3. general
  4. low
  5. prevailing
  6. collective
  7. ordinary
  8. poor
Adjective
  • This strategy allows DeMellier to be desirable without being ubiquitous.
    — Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Flock has been facing mounting pushback from citizens across the political spectrum over privacy, along with instances of vandalism and protest by those who oppose how ubiquitous the cameras have become across the United States.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of ubiquitous
Adjective
  • The sensor returned to normal after Menon doffed the suit, but NASA took some extra time to make sure there was no serious issue.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Restrictive eating and other disordered eating behaviors can start to feel very normal when your whole algorithm is feeding you back-to-back tips on how to shrink yourself.
    — Miranda Roberts, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • But it was decided this would not happen following a meeting between Mourinho, Real Madrid’s general manager Jose Angel Sanchez, head of scouting Juni Calafat and Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes at the Santo Mauro Hotel in central Madrid.
    — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The group said the average consumer spend for parts at a dealer was $261, versus $275 at a general repair shop.
    — Robert Ferris, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of general
Adjective
  • Achane will also go from a QB with one of the league’s highest checkdown rates to a QB with one of the lowest.
    — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • This week, Australian biotechnology company Mesolab announced that its Phase 3 trial of rexlemestrocel-L for chronic low back pain (CLBP) now moves beyond the patient-treatment stage.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of low
Adjective
  • The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy.
    — Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of prevailing
Adjective
  • Perhaps all of this is overly negative, and the downsides of these collective risks have been overemphasised.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Musk presented the arrangement, arguing that SpaceX’s workforce includes some of the world’s strongest engineers and that their collective knowledge could help shape a more capable AI system.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of collective
Adjective
  • Pay attention to ordinary pleasures, like a warm bed on a cold night, a good cup of coffee, or a brightly colored bird outside the window.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Critics, however, said the effects of those macroeconomic improvements were not being felt by ordinary Zambians who were growing frustrated with a high cost of living and electricity shortages.
    — Jacob Zimba, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of ordinary
Adjective
  • On the other lies a park in one of the Bronx’s poorest communities, built on the site of the former Yankee Stadium after the old home of the Yankees was torn down in 2009 and 2010.
    — Sam Blum, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Iran’s economy was in a dire state before the war too, with poor economic conditions a key driving factor behind the anti-regime demonstrations which kicked off in the Iranian capital city Tehran in 2025.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
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 21 Aug. 2026.

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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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