mediocre

adjective

ˌmē-dē-ˈō-kər How to pronounce mediocre (audio)
Definition of mediocrenext
1
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
2
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 Texas’ 2023 World Series hero is injured for the 47-46 Rangers, who sit tied atop a mediocre AL West right now. — Chris Branch, New York Times, 10 July 2026 Innovative mechanics and a soothing stretch mode make the LiberNovo Omni memorable, but its mediocre support ultimately overshadows its technical achievements. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026 Belton played 100% of the snaps the final seven games of the year — 423 in all — and was mediocre, at best. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Sweden, especially, seemed content to play conservatively, which forced France to take mediocre shots in the early going. — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for mediocre
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mediocre
  1. decent
  2. poor
  3. satisfactory
  4. terrible
  5. middling
  6. cheap
  7. ordinary
  8. inferior
Adjective
  • The Crosstrek also has decent off-road capability as a base model and can easily be enhanced with tires or purchased from the factory as a mean off-roading machine (Crosstrek Wilderness).
    — Charles Singh, USA Today, 14 July 2026
  • Insiders added that the power striker, who also is a decent rapper himself, was on his best behavior.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026
Definition of decent
Adjective
  • Madrid had a poor 2024-25, failing to win the Spanish title or the Champions League, but Mbappe still scored 42 goals in 44 appearances.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Using Neanderthal cranium shapes to estimate specific brain regions’ volume, some investigators claimed to see signs of a mind with feeble linguistic abilities, poor executive function and an unremarkable memory.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 20 July 2026
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • The fifth season will have a really hard time wrapping up everything in a satisfactory way at this point.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Kelley said the company believed the existing easement was satisfactory and wasn’t told otherwise until after investing years of work on he project.
    — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026
Definition of satisfactory
Adjective
  • To sit still now would send a terrible message to a clubhouse full of pros, all of whom know the score.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
  • Spieth decided the ball sitting on a steep slope and potentially on a terrible lie wasn’t playable.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • There’s also a massive best seller (Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko), a cult classic that got adapted into an Oscar-winning movie (Percival Everett’s Erasure), and a middling historical novel (Julian Barnes’s The Noise of Time)—none of which has been banned.
    — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 18 July 2026
  • Despite a compelling final act, the overall experience is deemed middling, failing to fully immerse players in its historical narrative.
    — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of middling
Adjective
  • The cheapest ticket available as of Wednesday was going for $7,451.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
  • But that mandate has always been balanced with the desire for economic expansion, which is boosted by, oftentimes, cheaper labor and manufacturing costs from importing goods overseas.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 July 2026
Definition of cheap
Adjective
  • Bhagawat Dulal, a Soccer for Success coach who now also translates for detainees, said even ordinary life has started to feel dangerous.
    — Maansi Srivastava, NPR, 21 July 2026
  • Even the ordinary act of scrolling in bed can throw the system off.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 21 July 2026
Definition of ordinary
Adjective
  • There was a time when Irish, Italians, Jews and Chinese who came here were viewed as inferior.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2026
  • Ma married Pa, her social inferior, against her mother’s wishes.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Definition of inferior

Browse Nearby Words

medieval
mediocre
mediocrities
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Cite this Entry

“Mediocre.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mediocre. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mediocre

Nglish: Translation of mediocre for Spanish Speakers

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