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 In the meantime, you’ll be preoccupied with more mundane things this month, like organizing your budget and catching up on correspondence. Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 There clearly continues to be something very evocative about the idea that all the mundane pop-culture ephemera from one’s youth hides something darker. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026 Guests—defined loosely as anyone from a random hookup to Julia Fox to a surprisingly chill raccoon—drop by the house with regularity, creating a zippy blend of the mundane and the serendipitous. Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026 The wishes might’ve seemed mundane, but several nonprofit leaders have said Breakaway checks helped their organizations stay open and even grow. Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mundane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mundane
Adjective
  • Drivers notoriously focus intensely on performance, and, like any athletes, have learned to ignore cues everyday people may follow.
    Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The stigmatization, often amplified by politicians, has affected everything from immigration statuses to due process rights and everyday religious practices.
    BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Curiously, cobalt was linked with a small rise in amyloid-beta proteins in the inferior temporal cortex.
    Mike McRae August 31, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The happy faces lit up their temporal cortex and caudate nucleus, which are parts of the brain associated with higher cognitive and reward processing.
    Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • After the 2005 Ashes, when the popularity of the game in the United Kingdom was at its peak, the rights shifted from terrestrial broadcaster Channel 4 to Sky’s subscription service, thus putting it out of reach for millions of people.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Bioconcentration, by contrast, is a more specific process that refers exclusively to the uptake of contaminants through non-dietary pathways, primarily via respiration (from water in aquatic organisms and from air in terrestrial organisms).
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • These digital wallets have also started to link to credit cards and are becoming a more common way to pay than with physical cards.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026
  • These players were arguably Tottenham’s most dominant physical profiles and headers of the ball last term.
    Elias Burke, New York Times, 9 Sep. 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
  • More importantly, the Zellner brothers platform earthly elements, like music and food, as our most essential joie de vivre.
    Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Shades of forest greens, browns, and other earthly delights followed suit.
    Madeline Fass, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Three years ago, Mary Austin – Freddie Mercury‘s closeset friend who inherited the Queen singer’s home and most of his worldly possessions – made the difficult decision to finally part with the collection via auction.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Thai Buddhist temples often have icons of Hindu gods, such as Ganesha and Brahma, who are believed to grant these worldly wishes.
    Brooke Schedneck, The Conversation, 24 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • He was convicted of felony domestic violence in the presence of a child along with a sentencing enhancement for infliction of great bodily injury, the Prosecutor’s Office said in a news release.
    Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The charges against include federal hate crimes and damaging religious property resulting in bodily injury.
    Ariella Noveck, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mundane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mundane. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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