run-of-the-mill

adjective

ˌrən-ə(v)-t͟hə-ˈmil How to pronounce run-of-the-mill (audio)
Definition of run-of-the-millnext
1
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events just another run-of-the-mill suburb with its shopping malls and fast-food restaurants

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ordinary
of average to below average quality his latest offering is rather run-of-the-mill for this usually excellent novelist

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 run-of-the-mill The Polo Lounge isn’t just a run-of-the-mill restaurant in Los Angeles. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 16 July 2026 From the outset of the selloff earlier this year, Jim Cramer was screaming from the rooftops that cyber should never have been lumped into run-of-the-mill enterprise software. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 7 July 2026 Residents say their reports of the theft — like their complaints of other crimes — go unheeded because their 2-year-old apartment building lies in a law enforcement no man’s land where no police agency has the power or resources to investigate and prosecute run-of-the-mill crime. — Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 This clever plug can transform any run-of-the-mill appliance into a smart device. — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for run-of-the-mill
Recent Examples of Synonyms for run-of-the-mill
  1. normal
  2. ordinary
  3. usual
  4. decent
  5. typical
  6. mediocre
  7. average
  8. satisfactory
Adjective
  • Although Edouard is not forecast to become a hurricane, the hurricane center has warned coastal residents to closely monitor the forecast as the storm is in an area of warmer than normal water and low wind shear, which favor strengthening.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • That change was introduced to help give club staff working across transfer departments a more normal working pattern.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of 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
Definition of ordinary
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
Definition of usual
Adjective
  • There was a time when getting a decent electric dirt bike meant spending serious money.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In the Arabic-speaking pic, Barhom stars as Hichem, a customs officer on the Algerian-Tunisian border, who tries to provide a decent life for his wife Leila and little daughter Zineb.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of decent
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
Definition of typical
Adjective
  • The Jays will need many moments in the next month to turn this mediocre season into one worth remembering.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The mediocre screen was an unpleasant surprise given that this thing advertised 100 percent sRGB gamut coverage when it was announced and on its product page for many weeks (the Internet Archive captures it here).
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of mediocre
Adjective
  • Across this period, there has been a strong correlation between higher average possession and points per game.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The required earnings amount is adjusted annually to reflect changes in average wages, so the threshold generally rises over time.
    — Miranda Marquit, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of average
Adjective
  • For the city, the move represents a satisfactory but temporary solution to a months-long dispute over the market’s location that came to a head last week.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • But Olson cautioned people that investigations don’t guarantee a satisfactory outcome for consumers.
    — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of satisfactory

Browse Nearby Words

run off with
run-of-the-mill
run-of-the-mine
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Run-of-the-mill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/run-of-the-mill. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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