ordinary 1 of 2

adjective

ˈȯr-də-ˌner-ē How to pronounce ordinary (audio)
Definition of ordinarynext
1
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events it was a perfectly ordinary and undistinguished shirt

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decent
of average to below average quality the pizza at that restaurant is just ordinary—it's nothing to write home about

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in usual
often observed or encountered an ordinary hairstyle for boys of that age

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ordinary

2 of 2

noun

as in commonplace

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Dissimilar Words

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

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 trips were their way of pressing pause on the ordinary world and being fully present with each other. —Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Mar. 2026 Large contributions buy influence over politicians and their votes, which is why the super-rich keep getting richer while so many ordinary people struggle. —Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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 See All Example Sentences for ordinary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordinary
  1. normal
  2. decent
  3. usual
  4. commonplace
  5. average
  6. medium
  7. ubiquitous
  8. rule
Adjective
  • James turned forty-one at the end of that month, an age at which many people start to notice the normal degeneration of their tendons and joints.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
  • The start of the day seemed very normal to me.
    — Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 22 Mar. 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • Near triple-double for LaMelo Ball A little home cooking apparently served as decent fuel for LaMelo Ball.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Trout said the Bobcat pitchers actually did a decent job of getting ahead in the count against the Warhawks.
    — Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of decent
Adjective
  • Zendaya first sparked wedding rumors last month when she was spotted with a gold band in place of her usual rock, though fans were unsure if the actor had simply turned her ring towards her palm or switched to a simpler ring to keep the real one safe.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Los Fabulosos Cadillacs are now embarked on their 40th anniversary tour, which should make their show here even more celebratory than usual.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
Definition of usual
Noun
  • Such double-headers are far from commonplace in English football, but are becoming more frequent.
    — Gregg Evans, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The most commonplace and the most concerning, as a consequence, come by way of phishing campaigns.
    — Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Definition of commonplace
Adjective
  • This double-digit spread is orders of magnitude greater than the historical average spread of fewer than $5.
    — Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Tiny Goliath Trounces an Even Tinier David<\/h2>

    While the iPad will continue to help the average user get by with paying the bills or writing their next breakout sci-fi novel, while maybe even tweaking some family photos, the MacBook Neo’s superior processor does it all better.

    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of average
Adjective
  • Hyland shoots with film cameras, in both medium and large formats, and her images of the meadow, often shot from a distance, are different from what Americans or Europeans would expect from mountain tourism.
    — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Turn the heat to medium and toss well to coat the pasta, adding up to ¼ cup of the pasta water to thin it out a bit if necessary.
    — Demi Lovato, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of medium
Adjective
  • Now, the demand is only expected to increase as data centers become increasingly ubiquitous in society.
    — Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
    — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of ubiquitous
Noun
  • The tide, however, has turned around since 2024 after former ECB President Mario Draghi’s report for the European Commission, which argued that Europe’s economy is being held back by outdated competition rules.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 20 Mar. 2026
  • But the dispute is ultimately about more than one primary, one Senate rule, or one piece of legislation.
    — W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Definition of rule

Browse Nearby Words

ordinariness
ordinary
ordination
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Cite this Entry

“Ordinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordinary. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ordinary

Nglish: Translation of ordinary for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ordinary

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