1
as in normality
the quality or state of being mediocre
She's a perfectionist who refuses to settle for mediocrity.
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2
as in nothing
a person of little fame
He surrounded himself with mediocrities to appear more notable by comparison.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mediocrity
How about even bedroom orderliness mediocrity?
—
Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
This was back in the early days of life without Dan Marino, back before the Dolphins were lost deep in the wilderness, before the two-decade ride on the mediocrity merry-go-round.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Trevor is delightfully shameless in his mediocrity.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 27 Jan. 2026
But there also is a sense of the Heat wanting off this hamster wheel of mediocrity, positioned for what would be a fourth consecutive trip to the play-in round.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mediocrity
Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 4 Feb. 2026
This was back in the early days of life without Dan Marino, back before the Dolphins were lost deep in the wilderness, before the two-decade ride on the mediocrity merry-go-round.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Trevor is delightfully shameless in his mediocrity.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 27 Jan. 2026
But there also is a sense of the Heat wanting off this hamster wheel of mediocrity, positioned for what would be a fourth consecutive trip to the play-in round.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mediocrity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mediocrity
Noun
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Away from the track, Friedrich is a working police officer, adding an air of normality to an all-time great athlete.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
4 Feb. 2026
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But after such an odd week to start F1’s on-track running in 2026, some normality will resume in two weeks at the first Bahrain test.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
When Dana, who, like Virginia, had been successful in writing pleasant but undistinguished nothings—in her case, songs for Billy Rose’s revues—decided to try taking on more serious music by studying with Boulanger, Virginia entered a deep downward spiral.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
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Why did her mom press so hard for the littlest of nothings?—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Social platforms reward outrage with visibility and punish restraint with obscurity.—
Joe Palaggi,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026
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The reasoning — defensive-minded head coach, pounce on an ascending quarterback and build through draft — offer the Miami Dolphins a pathway out of obscurity.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The second difference is acceptability.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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Local private players are learning that being US-aligned is becoming its own form of credibility, an argument for political acceptability and, potentially, financing access.—
Ruben Nyanguila,
semafor.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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By now, the insects are well established throughout most of the state’s coast and most of its largest urban centers.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Antiparasitic Oregano oil is also an antiparasitic insect repellent.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
On one side, a satanic figure named Randall Flagg who gathers his forces of badness to Las Vegas; on the other, the good guys, led by 108-year-old Mother Abigail in, of all places, Boulder.—
Barbara Ellis,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
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The show premiered over Thanksgiving weekend, when people were tired and full and bored (and probably also horny), and countered our world’s unceasing badness with its world’s buoyant sweetness.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Instead, his minions, so afraid of earning his wrath, have remained quiet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
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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
-
This is a childhood that had all its ordinariness burned out of it by the linking of even seemingly trivial gestures (an offering of candy, a bath, a swim, the dust in a corner of a room) to an entire array of physical and mental agonies.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
13 Jan. 2026
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The ordinariness of their relationship made the moment feel even more special.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
19 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mediocrity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mediocrity. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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