garden-variety

adjective

ˈgär-dᵊn-və-ˈrī-ə-tē How to pronounce garden-variety (audio)
Definition of garden-varietynext
1
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events the once-powerful hurricane eventually abated into just a garden-variety tropical storm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in usual
often observed or encountered the bakery's extravagant creations are not your garden-variety wedding cakes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 garden-variety But peppered in between the back-and-forth comments with garden-variety Internet trolls are criticisms of his onetime colleagues. — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026 Maybe this design is a percentage point or two more efficient than a garden-variety turbo-four. — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 22 Apr. 2026 All of which might be dismissed as garden-variety conspiracy, not to mention being beyond the organizational capacity of the Democratic Party. — Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026 This will not be your garden-variety sports labor dispute. — Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for garden-variety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for garden-variety
  1. normal
  2. usual
  3. ordinary
  4. ubiquitous
  5. typical
  6. common
  7. average
  8. familiar
Adjective
  • The prototype was tested on one construction worker during normal activities, including movement, breaks, drinking water and eating.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • In a normal year, most MLB teams would already be looking toward next year at this point in the season, as only a few teams remain alive.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • The Sagittarius Moon opposes Uranus, making a public responsibility, schedule, or household plan less predictable than usual.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
  • This is Kerry’s usual spiel at the beginning of a season; historically, the bravado lets up over time.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of usual
Adjective
  • Withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income, and early withdrawals may face penalties unless they’re used for qualifying expenses such as education or a first home, so families should review the tax rules before deciding how to use the money.
    — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The filmmakers bill it as a film less about cracking a murder than about the ordinary days that come after a devastating loss.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of ordinary
Adjective
  • Pork is ubiquitous, and rice nearly as much so, appearing in a gratin with zucchini, a soup with chicken and a fritter known as calas.
    — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 14 Oct. 2026
  • For one, Dean’s song has been ubiquitous for the better part of two years.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of ubiquitous
Adjective
  • Between 50 and 60 visitors will make the trek out there on a typical day, according to David Boyd, public information officer for the White River National Forest.
    — The Aspen Times, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The distillery expanded into wood finishing with the launch of Maker’s 46 in 2010, but this wasn’t your typical cask-finished whiskey.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of typical
Adjective
  • Why data centers became a bipartisan enemy Data centers have become the common enemy of Democrats and Republicans alike.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Infighting remains common among the factions, and there is still no clear political end state.
    — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of common
Adjective
  • The Southern Taurids have an average zenithal hourly rate of about five meteors per hour.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The average hurricane is about 300 miles (482 kilometers) wide, but hurricanes – or typhoons, as they’re called in the western Pacific of the Northern Hemisphere – can be much bigger or smaller.
    — Zachary Handlos, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of average
Adjective
  • Budgets have tightened and commissioners have retreated to the familiar — backing low-cost dramas and safe-bet crime formats.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The lineup also brings other familiar names in alternative music.
    — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of familiar

Browse Nearby Words

gardens
garden-variety
garderobe
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Garden-variety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/garden-variety. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of syncretic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All