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noun

as in average
what is typical of a group, class, or series a temperature chart showing the normals and extremes for various regions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective normal differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of normal are natural, regular, and typical. While all these words mean "being of the sort or kind that is expected as usual, ordinary, or average," normal implies lack of deviation from what has been discovered or established as the most usual or expected.

normal behavior for a two-year-old

In what contexts can natural take the place of normal?

The meanings of natural and normal largely overlap; however, natural applies to what conforms to a thing's essential nature, function, or mode of being.

the natural love of a mother for her child

When is regular a more appropriate choice than normal?

While in some cases nearly identical to normal, regular stresses conformity to a rule, standard, or pattern.

the club's regular monthly meeting

When might typical be a better fit than normal?

The words typical and normal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, typical implies showing all important traits of a type, class, or group and may suggest lack of strong individuality.

a typical small town

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 normal
Adjective
Speculation about famous couples is rather normal. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 30 Sep. 2025 The card skimmers look like a normal part of a POS machine or PIN pad and can be easily attached in less than a minute. Chyna Blackmon, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
But after tens of millions in capital investments, including in automation, Independent Can Co. is finally settling into a new normal that Huether expects to put the company back on surer footing this year, tariffs notwithstanding. Emily Lorsch, NBC news, 26 July 2025 Over the weekend and into early next week, low pressure over the greater Pacific Northwest will keep winds generally onshore, and cool the temperatures off to seasonal normals. Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for normal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for normal
Adjective
  • This fungus, usually seen as an ordinary decomposer, shows a remarkable ability to grow into hydrogels, the materials that hold water and mimic the softness of human tissue.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025
  • An intimate portrait of love and exhaustion that finds the comic edge in ordinary chaos.
    Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The fossil chemicals in question are a special types of steranes, which are the geologically stable form of sterols, like cholesterol, that are found in the cell membranes of complex organisms.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Married Matt and Amber Barnett overcame a little bit of jealousy and a lot of credit card debt to cultivate a stable relationship.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Stephen Glennon, vice president, national accounts at OEC Group, noted that there wasn’t the typical peak season this year.
    Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The buck has 14 points and rough scores as a non-typical at 184 inches.
    Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Mississippi shoppers couldn't get enough candy corn last year, buying a whopping 92% more of the sweet treat than the national average, according to the Instacart study.
    Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Russia's Defense Ministry reported downing a total of 2,788 long-range Ukrainian drones during September, at an average of just under 93 per day.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In her usual soft-spoken British accent, she was known for balancing the grim realities of the climate crisis with a sincere message of hope for the future.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Messi, who was denied by the post in the first half but who struggled to make his usual impact, walked off the field and straight to the locker room at the final whistle without stopping for any of the usual handshakes or greetings.
    The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Just like the Nômade property in Tulum, Nômade Temple Holbox is mindfulness focused to the core, offering experiences ranging from introductory yoga classes to more out-there wellness experiences like lucid dreaming sound journeys.
    Carley Rojas Ávila, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Floating somewhere between lucid dreams and nightmares, Desde el Coma feels like waking up gasping for air — a kaleidoscope of bruises, chaos, and resurrection.
    Natalia Cano, Billboard, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Switching to pricier papers specifically designed for inkjets can boost an ink tank printer's text quality and line graphics to at least match a laser, but the different paper types have a noticeably different feel than standard plain paper.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The updates also underscore NVIDIA’s ambition to define the standard platform for building general-purpose robots, especially humanoids, which demand precise physics and complex reasoning to function in human environments.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The data show that 61% of women identify as feminist and are suspicious of any institution that upholds traditional social norms, according to the Survey Center on American Life.
    Mitch Picasso, FOXNews.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Any business for Smashing Machine came from the South and West where 42% of the gross is coming from versus a norm of 33%.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 4 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Normal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/normal. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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