as in diminutive
of a size that is less than average
because of the summer drought, harvests have definitely been subnormal this year
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Recent Examples of subnormal
Quite simply, normal human consciousness is optimized for normal human functioning, but is subnormal for achieving goals beyond the ordinary.
—
Brett Steenbarger, Forbes, 30 May 2021
Flow off the 50-degree waters of Lake Michigan will bring our first subnormal temperatures in 10 days.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 31 May 2018
Everybody knew that comics were for children and for intellectually subnormal people, whereas graphic novel sounds like a much more sophisticated proposition.
—Adam Rogers, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2009
Brett Steenbarger, Forbes, 30 May 2021
Flow off the 50-degree waters of Lake Michigan will bring our first subnormal temperatures in 10 days.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 31 May 2018
Everybody knew that comics were for children and for intellectually subnormal people, whereas graphic novel sounds like a much more sophisticated proposition.
—Adam Rogers, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2009
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subnormal
Adjective
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Each of those films also features a plucky, diminutive hero who succeeds in the face of naysayers—an easy figure for any kid watching to root for.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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These ripe berries are alluringly red, uniformly speckled with dry, diminutive yellow seeds.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some of the district's smallest elementary schools now serve only a couple of hundred students, limiting available resources.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Higher bond yields ripple through all kinds of credit markets, making everything from mortgages to small-business loans more expensive.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Residents in the San Gabriel Valley are contending with a dramatic surge in black flies, a painful little pest known for biting around the eyes and necks of people and pets.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
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Plus, little baby leaves are thinner.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The Henry Clay Frick House, er, mansion, spans an entire city block along Fifth Avenue—and nearly every inch is filled with the art enthusiast’s collection of old master paintings and fine furniture.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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The charges against him each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and fine of $10,000.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Subnormal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subnormal. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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