1
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events
a commonplace occurrence
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ubiquitous
often observed or encountered
the large corporate mergers that have become commonplace
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3
as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull
a thriller that uses the commonplace plot twist of the evil twin
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as in cliché
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
the familiar summertime commonplace that "It's not the heat, it's the humidity"
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commonplace
New Atlas, 22 June 2026
The poem that precedes it, the Iliad, is a cruel and beautiful work, the ultimate story of war; the Odyssey has its warlike passages, but its central energies seem almost commonplace beside the merciless fury of Achilles.
—David Denby, New Yorker, 21 June 2026
Domenica Bongiovanni, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
By the time Szeemann was invited to organize two consecutive installments of the Venice Biennale (in 1999 and 2001), the criticism of curators’ assuming the role of meta-artists, in Szeemann’s case with quasi-shamanistic aspirations, had become a commonplace.
—Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commonplace
Adjective
The Pen-metheus looks like a basic writing instrument at first glance, albeit one made from anodized aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum instead of more commonplace plastic or steel.
—New Atlas, 22 June 2026
The poem that precedes it, the Iliad, is a cruel and beautiful work, the ultimate story of war; the Odyssey has its warlike passages, but its central energies seem almost commonplace beside the merciless fury of Achilles.
—David Denby, New Yorker, 21 June 2026
Noun
In the early 2000s, Sears began to use its website — the new iteration of its catalog — to help pioneer the now-commonplace practices of buying goods online and picking them up in store.
—Domenica Bongiovanni, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
By the time Szeemann was invited to organize two consecutive installments of the Venice Biennale (in 1999 and 2001), the criticism of curators’ assuming the role of meta-artists, in Szeemann’s case with quasi-shamanistic aspirations, had become a commonplace.
—Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commonplace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commonplace
Adjective
-
According to Roberts, Treinen felt normal after the game.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
-
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.—
John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs And Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast,
Hartford Courant,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
The bottom line High CD interest rates are ubiquitous this June, and that's unlikely to change now that the Federal Reserve has issued yet another interest rate pause.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
The department store is rethinking its approach to luxury, as consumers are now pushing back against a decade of increasingly standardized and ubiquitous products.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
This is a directed, stereotyped behavior in which the highest-resolution region of the somatosensory surface is brought to bear on the object requiring the most detailed analysis.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
In some cases, praise took on overtly stereotyped forms: words like 'love' were used disproportionately with female students, while 'powerful' appeared only for Black students.—
Rachel del Guidice,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This is certainly true—and a rather banal truism.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
-
Rick Jackson is testing that truism in his campaign for Georgia governor.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
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.—
Mykenna Maniece,
Vogue,
22 June 2026
-
My situation was, on some level, achingly ordinary.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Adjective
-
As Strong spoke with state reporters this week on campus, her answers were even more clipped than usual, almost terse.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
-
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.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
21 June 2026
Adjective
-
If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
19 June 2026
-
So tired and anxious and stressed.—
Anna Spoerre,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
In the last few decades, that swagger seems to have collapsed under the weight of a tepid banality.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
One effect of this austerity and repression is to focus attention on Albee’s language, with its slippery banalities and barbs.—
Steven Winn,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commonplace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commonplace. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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