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ordinary

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noun

Synonym Chooser

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
Under the deal, Sportradar will pay MLB an undisclosed annual licensing fee, and the league will be issued up to 1.86 million ordinary SRAD shares, worth about $37.3 million as of Tuesday’s close. Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2025 Yet for all of the suffering for ordinary Palestinians that war guarantees, Hamas appears more adrift than ever. Mkhaimar Abusada, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 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
Adjective
  • Are these normal things to think at this point in a serious relationship?
    James Parker, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The bottom line: Volatility — though unnerving — is normal.
    John Towfighi, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Virginia and Begovic are competent, low-cost reserves and provide decent support to Pickford.
    Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 19 Mar. 2025
  • In practice, this means ensuring your audio is clear and the video quality and lighting are good, having a decent background, finding decent actors, and editing the video for clarity and conciseness.
    Jason Hennessey, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • So your kid is slightly more distracted than usual?
    Stephanie Ganz, Parents, 18 Mar. 2025
  • What seemed clear and achievable on January 1 may feel different now that life has picked up its usual pace.
    Michael Held, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • Cora’s passion is helping people discover new ways to think about the commonplace, like our clothing.
    Cora Harrington, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently claimed that controllers make $160,000 on average three years out of the academy.
    Alex Fitzpatrick, Axios, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Trump's approval and disapproval ratings both currently stand at 48 percent, according to an average calculated by Newsweek.
    Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Photo : Mercedes-Benz AG The CLA’s hood is medium length and has a nice presence in the flesh, accentuated by the grille, illuminated with 142 stars.
    Sean Evans, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The Greta Ballet Flat $98 Madewell Sizes: 5–12 in medium and wide Colors: 9 options Material: Leather Madewell’s best-selling slip-on ballet flats are a goes-with-everything pair that adds a chic, stylish touch to everyday outfits.
    Nina Derwin, Glamour, 19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • In 2024, Donald Trump was elected to disrupt Washington and to tame a ubiquitous and inefficient government bureaucracy that has lost touch with the American people.
    Dennis M. Powell, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Top Chef: Chicago gave us some of the most ubiquitous figures in the culinary TV landscape.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • To compensate for stronger rules on fire-prone areas, county voters favored building more homes in higher-density urban areas, with 55% in support and 30% opposed.
    Hunter Clauss, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2025
  • So who is responsible for actually enforcing existing conflict of interest rules where they can be applied?
    Abdallah Fayyad, Vox, 14 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ordinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordinary. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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