Definition of mundanenext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word mundane distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words earthly and worldly are common synonyms of mundane. While all three words mean "belonging to or characteristic of the earth," mundane suggests reference to the immediate and practical.

a mundane discussion of finances

In what contexts can earthly take the place of mundane?

While in some cases nearly identical to mundane, earthly often implies a contrast with what is heavenly or spiritual.

abandoned earthly concerns and entered a convent

How are the words worldly and mundane related?

Worldly and mundane both imply a relation to the immediate concerns and activities of human beings, worldly suggesting tangible personal gain or gratification.

worldly goods

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 mundane The mundane details of October 1, 1893, were mostly forgotten in the storytelling, eclipsed by the doomful storm, except that the weather was decidedly unstrange. Literary Hub, 16 July 2026 Her most popular videos often feature her doing mundane things like brewing tea or lighting a candle. Shannon Carlin, Time, 14 July 2026 But what should have been a pretty mundane meal spiraled into a heated viral debate about in-flight food etiquette when fellow passengers started to complain about the smell. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 14 July 2026 Preparedness Is a Plan Just like most accidents are caused by the mundane, the best way to be prepared is simple. Tyler Freel, Outdoor Life, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mundane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mundane
Adjective
  • Already the spiraling cost of everyday necessities like groceries, prescriptions and gas have forced her to get by on a lot less.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 19 July 2026
  • This means everyday indoor air can expose children to higher concentrations of harmful substances than many parents realize.
    Dr. Lauren Zajac, Boston Herald, 19 July 2026
Adjective
  • Research shows that drops in hormones actually shrink the volume of gray matter in a woman’s hippocampus and frontal and temporal cortices, which are key for memory and executive function.
    Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 16 July 2026
  • An autopsy report obtained by Entertainment Weekly states that multiple bilateral temporal calvarial fractures and a brain injury were also revealed.
    Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026
Adjective
  • Interlune minimizes the immense risk of launching unproven space hardware by first demonstrating the technology inside terrestrial liquefaction plants.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026
  • The network is proliferated, with thousands of satellites interconnected using laser communications links and numerous ground stations to connect the constellation in low Earth orbit (LEO) with the terrestrial Internet.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2026
Adjective
  • Some in anthropology take this further, describing houses and homes as social and symbolic spaces rather than merely physical structures.
    Belonging Forum, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • This was a different era, when most teams at that level would have played direct, physical football.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Adjective
  • Vegetable Oils Vegetable and seed oils are some of the richest non-animal dietary sources of CoQ10.
    Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 16 July 2026
  • Computer models and other non-animal testing methods still aren’t the best available science, critics contend.
    Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
Adjective
  • Conjuring fantasies is one of humanity’s most ancient arts — a sacred creative practice — but without earthly rooting, the symphony is incomplete.
    Goth Shakira, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
  • The actual viewing success will depend more on earthly considerations, however, including cloud cover and the extent of light pollution.
    Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 6 July 2026
Adjective
  • These complex relationships—between art and institutions, between artistic integrity and worldly achievement—animate Eggers’s latest novel, Contrapposto.
    Tope Folarin, The Atlantic, 22 July 2026
  • Las Terrenas does not ask you to choose between sleepy Caribbean escape and worldly energy.
    Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
Adjective
  • Assault and grievous bodily harm charges, which the pair denied, were dropped, as was a charge Brown faced of having an offensive weapon.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 July 2026
  • In return for the guilty plea, prosecutors dropped charges of assault, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and having an offensive weapon.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 24 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mundane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mundane. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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