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ordinary

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ordinary contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of ordinary are common, familiar, plain, popular, and vulgar. While all these words mean "generally met with and not in any way special, strange, or unusual," ordinary stresses conformance in quality or kind with the regular order of things.

an ordinary pleasant summer day
a very ordinary sort of man

When would common be a good substitute for ordinary?

While in some cases nearly identical to ordinary, common implies usual everyday quality or frequency of occurrence and may additionally suggest inferiority or coarseness.

a common error
lacked common honesty
common manners

When is it sensible to use familiar instead of ordinary?

Although the words familiar and ordinary have much in common, familiar stresses the fact of being generally known and easily recognized.

a familiar melody

Where would plain be a reasonable alternative to ordinary?

The words plain and ordinary can be used in similar contexts, but plain is likely to suggest homely simplicity.

plain hard-working people

In what contexts can popular take the place of ordinary?

While the synonyms popular and ordinary are close in meaning, popular applies to what is accepted by or prevalent among people in general sometimes in contrast to upper classes or special groups.

a writer of popular romances

How do vulgar and popular relate to one another, in the sense of ordinary?

Vulgar, otherwise similar to popular, is likely to carry derogatory connotations (as of inferiority or coarseness).

souvenirs designed to appeal to the vulgar taste

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 ordinary
Adjective
The couple have often walked red carpets together, so it certainly wouldn’t be considered out of the ordinary for the 37-year-old to walk the Golden Globes red carpet alongside her beau as his plus-one. Sam Reed, Glamour, 4 Jan. 2025 These pieces can transform one’s daily bathing ritual from an ordinary to a spa-like experience. Adam Mansuroglu, WWD, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
Flash was sniffing around on the ground, so much so that Spindler began to suspect something out of the ordinary. Rachel Raposas, People.com, 23 June 2025 This experience shaped her mission to destigmatize death planning and empower ordinary people to prepare for the inevitable without fear, shame, or confusion. Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ordinary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordinary
Adjective
  • This means that some particles will decay in the normal world while their counterparts in the mirror would not.
    Zack Savitsky, Wired News, 22 June 2025
  • While the district has enough supply on hand for the nearly 200,000 students who attend district schools, many of those computers are out of warranty and past their normal lifespan, the district’s technology chief told the South Florida Sun Sentinel in an interview last month.
    Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 21 June 2025
Adjective
  • Fields had a decent season with the Steelers, going 4-2 before he was replaced by Russell Wilson.
    James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
  • Start by rolling them on a countertop with a decent amount of pressure; doing so helps release the lemon juice from its membranes.
    Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • This is an excellent day for business and commercial ventures, because your objectives and goals are clearer to you than usual.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 22 June 2025
  • Did Bill Plaschke ghost-write these letters with his usual accurate predictions/suggestions?
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • Luxury scented candles, like room sprays for that matter, have the power to elevate any moment: taking it from commonplace to utterly indulgent.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The Grand Ole Opry House holds 4,400 people, but can’t accommodate standing-room tours, a commonplace in genres like EDM and hip-hop.
    Matthew Leimkuehler, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The ground in south Florida has been, on average, 81.8 per cent full during its six games hosted so far.
    Will Jeanes, New York Times, 28 June 2025
  • It’s almost always detected via a routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, a screening blood test that most men undergo every couple of years or so starting around age 50 for those with average risk.
    Angela Haupt, Time, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • Original Price: $44.99 This 16-inch Amazon Basics fan delivers powerful airflow to medium and large rooms.
    Jené Luciani Sena , Caitlyn Martyn may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 23 June 2025
  • Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 23 June 2025
Adjective
  • Beyond these ubiquitous technologies, the quieter rise of connected devices unfolded.
    Thomas Ryd, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Though the United States' EV adoption process may be sluggish compared to other countries, electric vehicles have become ubiquitous in some of the largest cities in America like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
    Charles Singh, USA Today, 28 June 2025
Noun
  • The Congressional record from the day shows the presiding officer saying that there was nothing in the rules prohibiting it.
    James Powel, USA Today, 30 June 2025
  • Finally, the Commission proposes to lighten the administrative burden of the due diligence rules by requiring companies to publish reports on their compliance every three years instead of annually.
    Jon McGowan, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ordinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordinary. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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