Definition of normalnext
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normal

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noun (1)

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

normality

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noun (2)

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
Those figures, Cole explained, mean that events that once ran a degree or two above normal in the Galápagos now run three or four. Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026 The Sacramento area gardeners are encouraged to plant earlier than normal this year especially for broccoli and fennel, according to the Almanac. Sacbee.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
This preventive darkness is fast becoming the new normal for millions of residents in the West. Jasmine Garland, The Conversation, 7 July 2026 Then, before the listener can fully settle in, the Puerto Rican rapper and singer fires off bars claiming that Grammys were stolen from him and details his many nights spent sleeping on the floor to his new normal of earning $500,000 per show. Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
Noun
Sometimes there’s no need to look any further than normality. Time, Time, 26 June 2026 Oil prices fell to their lowest level since the US-Israel war with Iran, as growing signs of a tentative return to normality through the Strait of Hormuz soothed markets. Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for normal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for normal
Adjective
  • This may not come as a surprise in a world not only of AI, but widespread access to technology that requires ordinary people to develop typing skills.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Why network awareness deserves more attention now Online banking and shopping place sensitive information at the center of ordinary internet use.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Dark matter has never been detected, but it is believed to make up 85% of the total matter in the universe and help hold stars and galaxies in stable orbits.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • At the time of transport, two patients were in serious condition and four were in stable condition.
    Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Its technology has also reached production at volumes far beyond typical nuclear manufacturing.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • On top of that over the last two weeks of August, a trough over the eastern Pacific was bringing in even heavier rain than typical for multiple days in a row, Weiss said.
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • With consumers paying an average of $49,855 for new cars in July 2026, according to Cox Automotive's Kelley Blue Book, only nine major car brands averaged sale prices under $40,000 in the United States.
    Keith Laing, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • That pattern is linked to above-average hurricane activity in the eastern Pacific, and also is usually tied to above-average rainfall for Southern California in the winter.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Immediately, Zack-Carlos goes back to reasserting his presence in the house, eager to stay as long as possible and be his usual insufferable self.
    Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For cats that need a larger calorie reduction, Yeo said a veterinary weight-management diet may be safer than simply serving much less of their usual food because it is formulated to provide adequate nutrients with fewer calories.
    Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Carr and Konkoly would wire everyone up with EEG, perform their lucid-dreaming protocol, and let people drift off.
    Veronique Greenwood, Time, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Songs about heartbreak and toxic relationship cycles are precise and lucid, even in their delusions.
    Vogue, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • In proof-of-concept tests, the intense heat turned the raw materials into cement clinker within seconds, nearly 100 times faster than standard production.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Porsche also offers a carbon-ceramic brake package for those who would prefer to go that route, but the standard setup offers very little to complain about.
    Bradley Iger, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Combat was a highlight for me and an absolute departure from genre norms.
    Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Some argue that cultural norms of male leadership and even outright discrimination keep women from top roles, while others argue that women are less ambitious than men.
    Laura Clawson, JSTOR Daily, 28 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Normal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/normal. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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