unexceptional

adjective

ˌən-ik-ˈsep-sh(ə-)nəl
Definition of unexceptionalnext
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events the physicist, now regarded as one of the brightest minds in science, was an unexceptional student as a child

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 unexceptional Dad had always told me his father was a naval officer who'd had an unexceptional career and died suddenly in a traffic accident. — CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025 Meanwhile, Young and the Panthers' offense has been unexceptional through three quarters, but did enough to take a 13-3 lead into the fourth quarter. — Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Oct. 2025 The monologue that led to Kimmel’s involuntary hiatus was thoroughly unexceptional for the show. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025 The site includes several unexceptional museums housed in palaces, but two must-see attractions are the Mosque of Mohammed Ali and the Gawhara Terrace for a fantastic view over Cairo. — Nada El Sawy, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2023 See All Example Sentences for unexceptional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unexceptional
  1. normal
  2. ordinary
  3. usual
  4. average
  5. typical
  6. commonplace
  7. unremarkable
Adjective
  • Villa go in as considerable underdogs — 7/2 to win in normal time and 2/1 to lift the trophy — and pulling it off would represent another big result in what has already been a landmark year for the club.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • While Social Security is facing long-term financial challenges, including projections that the retirement trust fund could face a shortfall as soon as 2032, beneficiaries can still expect payments to follow the agency's normal schedule this month.
    — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • Kurt's key takeaways What caught my attention here is how ordinary the problem is.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • For a growing number of Charlotte-area homeowners, the path to foreclosure can start with something as ordinary as a missed paycheck, a medical setback or a rising monthly bill.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of ordinary
Adjective
  • Its separate entrance, elevators, and staff have always set it apart from the surrounding casino ecosystem, offering a smoke-free, gaming-free environment with all the brand’s usual service signatures.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • For example, someone who is comfortable walking for 30 minutes could walk at their usual pace for several minutes, then pick it up for a minute or two before slowing down again.
    — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of usual
Adjective
  • This squad broke records for fielding the oldest average team in their Premier League era last season.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The average woman with a college degree now has her first child after age 35, a shift from decades ago, when many had children in their 20s.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of average
Adjective
  • Number 1, because each well requires up to 20 million gallons of fresh water to frac a typical horizontal well.
    — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The wardrobes, however spacious, were creaky; none of the typical five-star tech touches are present—no Nespresso machine, no Dyson hair dryer, no in-wall USB outlets, though there is a charging dock.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of typical
Adjective
  • Clean water and advanced medicine, for example, are now commonplace across much of the developed world despite once being a luxury even kings and queens couldn’t reliably access.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026
  • In the realms of art, literature, film, and television, words and images that would once have been considered indecent, offensive, or immoral are now commonplace, especially in the West.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of commonplace
Adjective
  • Shania Twain Debuts Her New Album Very Low Little Miss Twain manages an unremarkable start on the Billboard 200.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Colonic hydrotherapy, which admittedly never promises to be glamorous, is unremarkable with a purpose that remains murky.
    — Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of unremarkable

Browse Nearby Words

unexceptionable
unexceptional
unexcitable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unexceptional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unexceptional. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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