MEDIOCRE Synonyms: 152 Similar and Opposite Words

mediocre

adjective

ˌmē-dē-ˈō-kər

Definition of mediocre

as in decent

of average to below average quality your grades are mediocre and barely acceptable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in poor

of low quality mediocre carvings in a pseudo-African style that are sold to tourists

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 mediocre Top to bottom, however, the Big Ten might be a bit more mediocre than expected. — Austin Meek, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 The Jets’ offense has ranged from mediocre to downright awful during his time with the team. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 10 Sep. 2026 At roughly 44 times earnings, Costco needs to execute, and another mediocre quarter would force us to reconsider our holding. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026 But a feel-good season, with gradual improvement rooted in process and preparation leading to mediocre results, won’t cut it for a program desperate for tangible success and the pieces in place to achieve it. — Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mediocre

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mediocre

Adjective

This, the perfectly decent people of Kettleborough reasoned, was a natural and godly rebuke for Susan and Cuthbert’s sin.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
With fast charging capability, 60 hours of playback time, and a foldable design, the Q20i also offers high resolution sound, and very decent ANC performance.

— Carlos Mejia, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of decent

Adjective

After months of negotiations failed to yield a satisfactory agreement, the union approved strike action earlier this month in a vote held in tandem with unions at the Brooklyn Museum and American Folk Art Museum.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026
The effort displayed by Kansas’ 14 men’s basketball players at Bill Self’s 24th annual Boot Camp proved satisfactory to the Hall of Fame Jayhawks coach.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of satisfactory

Adjective

Platforms prefill a name, email and phone number so a user can submit in one tap without leaving the feed, which is wonderful for a consumer promotion and terrible for a six-figure investment.

— Jonathan Durante, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Saddled with terrible reviews and negative word-of-mouth, Tom Cruise‘s absurdist dark comedy has cratered at the box office with $8 million in North America and $20 million globally in its first weekend of release.

— Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of terrible

Adjective

Hilton, who polls show down 20% or more, said Sacramento Democrats were at fault for California’s high prices and middling outcomes on issues like homelessness.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Clinton’s public favorability is middling at best, rating well below Sanders, the closest thing to a genuinely popular Democrat.

— Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of middling

Adjective

Once considered an ordinary metal, it was found in 2019 to become superconducting below about 2 kelvins.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
Things that seem strange or even barbaric to us today were sometimes considered perfectly ordinary at another point in history.

— Jim Dudlicek, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of ordinary

Adjective

The Chiefs went on to emerge victorious 24-10, but like the offense, the defense’s focus now will be identifying how an inferior team that lost its star player early managed to stay involved until late in the fourth quarter.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 Sep. 2026
The same can be said for TCU’s offense as well after the past two games against inferior opponents.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of inferior

Browse Nearby Words

medieval

mediocre

mediocrities

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Style

“Mediocre.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mediocre. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of mediocre

adjective

Example Sentences

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