1
as in normality
the quality or state of being mediocre
She's a perfectionist who refuses to settle for mediocrity.
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2
as in nothing
a person of little fame
He surrounded himself with mediocrities to appear more notable by comparison.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mediocrity
But these specific second-guess specials will be on the field coaching and playing the Dolphins on Sunday, and their performance will likely be a constant reminder that South Florida’s NFL franchise likely won’t exit the mediocrity merry-go-round until better decision-makers are put in place.
—
Omar Kelly
october 10, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
The only character who seems entirely transparent is Frederik, who can’t hide his resentment of his second-class spousal status or his contempt for the sycophants and mediocrities who cling to his wife like barnacles.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Like Muscle Man, Mixtape follows a self-important, inarticulate mediocrity on the fringe of a minor American metropolis.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
One month ago, they were resigned to another season of mediocrity.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mediocrity
Omar Kelly
october 10, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
The only character who seems entirely transparent is Frederik, who can’t hide his resentment of his second-class spousal status or his contempt for the sycophants and mediocrities who cling to his wife like barnacles.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
Like Muscle Man, Mixtape follows a self-important, inarticulate mediocrity on the fringe of a minor American metropolis.
—Robert Rubsam, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
One month ago, they were resigned to another season of mediocrity.
—Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mediocrity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mediocrity
Noun
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Strength in this area transcends all career levels and separates excellence from normality.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Omar’s office is characterized by pristine normality — with its glass walls and desktop computers, its phones and its headsets.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
My memoir was built of gaps, juxtaposition, weird little nothings.—
Cheri Lucas Rowlands,
Longreads,
16 Dec. 2024
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But nothings more peaceful than tomorrow to a man going through pain today.—
Becca Longmire,
Peoplemag,
22 Feb. 2024
Noun
-
With its sadistic violence, taboo sexuality, and grim depiction of postwar London, Peeping Tom was a flop that essentially ended the illustrious career of director Michael Powell, falling into obscurity until Martin Scorsese rescued it and rehabilitated its reputation with a 1979 rerelease.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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The 24-year-old has had quite the journey since she was plucked from obscurity at 17 years old to play Maria in Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story.—
Helen Mirren,
Glamour,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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However, political observers and those on the right know that Kirk, as founder of Turning Point USA, was at heart an activist who transformed conservative youth politics through his robust organizing network and, in the process, changed the social acceptability of Trumpism among America's youth.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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From my perspective, the real measure of acceptability isn't whether AI assisted in the process, but whether the final output demonstrates sound reasoning, originality and accuracy.—
Morey Haber,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The bee attack in Guyana comes just months after 24 people were left injured when the flying insects suddenly attacked in the French town of Aurillac, local authorities in the south-central French Prefecture of Cantal confirmed to the Associated Press at the time.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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In order to blend in completely with their environment, these insects will stand and sway as leaves on a tree would in a breeze, according to researchers.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Still, this has always been a very personal conflict between Yennefer and Vilgefortz, which is why Vilgefortz finally stops letting his minions do all the fighting and jumps through the portal himself.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
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Others wore inflatable costumes, dressed as bumble bees, frogs, unicorns and a even minion.—
Vivian Jones,
Nashville Tennessean,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Theresa is easy not to notice in everyday life, and Keaton tapped into that ordinariness, along with the wanderlust that gripped so many discontented antiheroes of the 1970s.—
Tim Grierson,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
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There is something about that ordinariness that is extraordinary.—
Jeff Conway,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Professional athletes, however, aren’t nobodies.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
-
More importantly, the narrative explores both sides of the conflict from the POV of grunts and 'nobodies' trying to navigate the post-Civil War state of the galaxy before the fighting stops.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mediocrity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mediocrity. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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