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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Tyrannosaurus rex did, in fact, have a diminutive relative in North America.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
30 Oct. 2025
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That means the diminutive van measures in at a hair under 340 cm (134 in) long, roughly 59 cm (23 in) shorter than the original 2023 Toyota Kayoibako.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Palantir’s revenue figures are still quite small compared to peers of similar market capitalization.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
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Contractors working on the project recently completed pouring the foundation for what will provide smaller housing units meant to make quarantining detainees with communicable illnesses safer and easier.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Wet and dry fronts, prevailing winds, moisture and vapour, meeting, as luck would have it, exactly at the top of that big mountain on the little island.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
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But the shutdown has turned most parks into ghost towns, with little to no staffing or access to amenities and facilities.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Wolvaardt a fine century on the back of her impressive semifinal performance.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
3 Nov. 2025
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Dark Renaissance will teach you a great deal about Marlowe’s brilliance and the Elizabethan era—its theater, the aristocracy, the spy craft, and the finer points of drawing and quartering religious dissidents.—
Isaac Butler,
The Atlantic,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Large clutches, like those at Bottega Veneta and Chanel, and comfortable shoulder bags like the Miu Miu multi-pocket bag, also featured.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
15 Oct. 2025
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Built with water-resistant polyester, this spacious duffel has a dedicated shoe compartment, an end pocket for wet or dirty clothes, a multi-pocket compression panel for organization, and an interior divider curtain that can be removed to hold bulky clothes or outdoor gear.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Subnormal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subnormal. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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