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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 ubiquitous
often observed or encountered
an ordinary hairstyle for boys of that age
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in usual
Related Words
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 ordinary
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
James Doubek, NPR, 17 Sep. 2025
Simple upgrades can transform even the most ordinary fall crafts into something extraordinary.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ordinary
Adjective
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
Noun
But ordinary people could also use zarfs in their homes, Girginol says in an email.
—James Doubek, NPR, 17 Sep. 2025
Simple upgrades can transform even the most ordinary fall crafts into something extraordinary.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ordinary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ordinary
Adjective
-
Magnesium is needed to transport potassium and calcium across cell membranes and maintain normal heart rhythms.—
Jennifer Lefton,
Verywell Health,
16 Sep. 2025
-
The weather when the sailor went missing were close to normal, according to Sky News Australia's Senior Meteorologist Rob Sharpe.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Dell’s downward-firing speakers, positioned underneath each side of the chassis, project decent sound quality if the laptop rests on a solid surface, not your lap.—
Charles Jefferies,
PC Magazine,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Chin up, a hundred other decent men out there.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Many of Garmin’s usual non-connected features are present in the Bounce 2 as well.—
Andrew Williams,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Temperatures will remain warmer than usual for this time of year, with highs climbing to the upper 80s or near 90 degrees in the metro area.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Talking about struggles, both past and present, can make the conversation commonplace and combat some of the fear that may fester in an indecisive personality.—
Janine Schindler,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
And with a rise in pro salaries making skipping college more commonplace for America’s teenage prospects, the landscape has further shifted and opened up.—
Molly Geary,
Sportico.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That is, with Venus and earth-like planets at habitable distances from their stars as well as gas giants orbiting at Jupiter-like distances (which in our solar system’s case is 5 astronomical units), or five times the average distance between the Earth and sun.—
Bruce Dorminey,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The system yields superior thermoelectric performance and higher average ZT values than previously reported p-type AgCuTe materials.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Hamilton also spoke about the team's tire choice, stressing that not having medium tires at the end put him on the back foot in a chaotic qualifying session that featured many red and yellow flags.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
-
The system, which is moving west-northwestward at 5 to 10 mph parallel to the country's coast, has a medium chance of developing over the next 48 hours and a high chance during the next 7 days, the center said.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Google Maps, for example, is a ubiquitous tool used by tourists to get around new destinations, as well as their own cities.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
-
This lore drop about the legendary warrior-chief is a withering tease for Kōnane, a once-ubiquitous pastime that was carved into stone slabs across the islands, some of which still protrude from the ground.—
Matt Negrin,
Rolling Stone,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
By using a digital signal system, Viljoen said there's less personal information that's shared with any website subject to age verification rules.—
Arpan Lobo,
Freep.com,
20 Sep. 2025
-
John explains the rules to the first-timers, and the bracket begins — four matches at once.—
Matt Negrin,
Rolling Stone,
20 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ordinary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ordinary. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share