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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ordinary

2 of 2

noun

as in commonplace

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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
Clauses that are difficult for an ordinary person to understand, that utilize small and undistinguishable font types, and that necessitate visiting a separate website tend to encounter more resistance. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 Apr. 2025 Chapter 1 The Center Nobody would take the breast center and its adjoining hospital as an ordinary medical establishment. —T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 12 Apr. 2025
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
  • Join 22 others in the comments View Comments The airline also expects its own employment level in 2025 to be down from 2024 levels, though executives said that would be done through normal attrition caused by retirement and other voluntary departures, and not any layoff of staff.
    — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
  • For 2025, retail growth predictions of 3.6% or better are holding firm, and while NRF economists are expecting slower growth for the near term, the trade group is expecting for normal growth to return in time.
    — Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • Both of these teams are off to decent starts, as Detroit leads the AL Central and the Yanks have, ahem, torpedoeed their way to a 6-5 record thus far.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • At least, thanks to a decent selection of ports, both machines will easily work with the usual Mac accessories, and both models are outfitted with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
    — PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of decent
Adjective
  • That’s not to say there isn’t more cleanup than usual between showings.
    — Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
  • While the set seems a bit on the chintzy side, scenic designer Beowulf Boritt does his usual stellar work, assisted immensely by Ken Billington’s full-of-pizzazz lighting design.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of usual
Noun
  • Luxury scented candles, like room sprays for that matter, have the power to elevate any moment: taking it from commonplace to utterly indulgent.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Mar. 2025
  • The Grand Ole Opry House holds 4,400 people, but can’t accommodate standing-room tours, a commonplace in genres like EDM and hip-hop.
    — Matthew Leimkuehler, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
Definition of commonplace
Adjective
  • The experts predict the economy will nearly stall in 2025, growing 0.8%, down from their projection of 1.7% just last month, according to the average estimate of 46 economists surveyed by Wolters Kluwer Blue Chip Economic Indicators on April 4 and April 7.
    — John Bacon, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr. — Conerly has all the physical components to become a reliable starting offensive lineman, but his ability to anchor against power is slightly below average.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of average
Adjective
  • Toss in a damp towel or a handful of ice cubes alongside your polyester item, then run the dryer on medium heat for five to ten minutes.
    — Katelyn Squiers, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Switch the speed to medium and slowly stream in the 3/4 cup olive oil.
    — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of medium
Adjective
  • This development mirrors the revolutionary vision of personal computing, suggesting a future where AI agents could become as ubiquitous as desktop computers. 2.
    — Gaurav Pathak, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • And although offal may never become as ubiquitous as muscle meat in American diets, more people eating organ meats could come with some positives.
    — Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of ubiquitous
Noun
  • The only issue with the price Chelsea Women was sold for was that they were bought by their parent company in a move that helped the men’s team comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) in 2023-24.
    — Matt Slater, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The top attorney for a California board that enforces labor rules said Thursday that Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office may have violated state law over its handling of an order directing many public employees to work in person four days a week.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 18 Apr. 2025
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 25 Apr. 2025.

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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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