as in obscurities
a person of little fame
He surrounded himself with mediocrities to appear more notable by comparison.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 mediocrities
Congress’s lower chamber has always contained its share of mediocrities.
—
Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
These two 6-6 mediocrities are battling for first place in the AFC North.
—Kevin Cusick, Twin Cities, 5 Dec. 2025
The only character who seems entirely transparent is Frederik, who can’t hide his resentment of his second-class spousal status or his contempt for the sycophants and mediocrities who cling to his wife like barnacles.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
This past week both teams looked like nothing more than overpriced mediocrities at a time when all the reinforcements were supposed to have turned things around for both of them.
—Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2025
Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
These two 6-6 mediocrities are battling for first place in the AFC North.
—Kevin Cusick, Twin Cities, 5 Dec. 2025
The only character who seems entirely transparent is Frederik, who can’t hide his resentment of his second-class spousal status or his contempt for the sycophants and mediocrities who cling to his wife like barnacles.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
This past week both teams looked like nothing more than overpriced mediocrities at a time when all the reinforcements were supposed to have turned things around for both of them.
—Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mediocrities
Noun
-
Instead, his minions, so afraid of earning his wrath, have remained quiet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Ackie mostly barks orders at her minions to go get him, while Nighy in his home plays the bad guy demanding blood.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
John McCutcheon, a biology professor at Arizona State University, studies the symbiotic relationships between insects and the invisible bacteria that live inside their cells.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Wipe it down with a cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol to kill any insects and to remove sap.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Where else could award winning writers pop off about nothing at all, and nobodies could rattle the ivory towers?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
-
Professional athletes, however, aren’t nobodies.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Family members of the shooting victims cried as the sentence was handed down.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Nelson, one of the shooting victims, who was in the passenger seat of the van, fired twice in self-defense before the truck drove away, according to the lawsuit filed by the family against the Police Department.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mediocrities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mediocrities. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
