as in diminutive
of a size that is less than average
because of the summer drought, harvests have definitely been subnormal this year
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Recent Examples of subnormal
Quite simply, normal human consciousness is optimized for normal human functioning, but is subnormal for achieving goals beyond the ordinary.
—
Brett Steenbarger, Forbes, 30 May 2021
Flow off the 50-degree waters of Lake Michigan will bring our first subnormal temperatures in 10 days.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 31 May 2018
Snow flurries could last into Monday, the cold staying through Tuesday with a temperature rebound of sorts into the still subnormal 50s by the middle of next week.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 15 Apr. 2018
An amplified jet stream pattern that has brought subnormal temperatures to eastern portions of North America and unseasonable warmth to the West is forecast to continue much of the workweek.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 11 Dec. 2017
Sunday marked our fifth straight day of subnormal readings.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 27 Aug. 2017
Resulting northwest wind flow will bring to the area temperatures more typical of mid-May, making this the only weekend this month with subnormal readings.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 23 June 2017
Everybody knew that comics were for children and for intellectually subnormal people, whereas graphic novel sounds like a much more sophisticated proposition.
—Adam Rogers, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2009
Another day of subnormal temperatures is slated for Monday before winds shift to a west-to-east orientation.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 25 June 2017
Brett Steenbarger, Forbes, 30 May 2021
Flow off the 50-degree waters of Lake Michigan will bring our first subnormal temperatures in 10 days.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 31 May 2018
Snow flurries could last into Monday, the cold staying through Tuesday with a temperature rebound of sorts into the still subnormal 50s by the middle of next week.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 15 Apr. 2018
An amplified jet stream pattern that has brought subnormal temperatures to eastern portions of North America and unseasonable warmth to the West is forecast to continue much of the workweek.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 11 Dec. 2017
Sunday marked our fifth straight day of subnormal readings.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 27 Aug. 2017
Resulting northwest wind flow will bring to the area temperatures more typical of mid-May, making this the only weekend this month with subnormal readings.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 23 June 2017
Everybody knew that comics were for children and for intellectually subnormal people, whereas graphic novel sounds like a much more sophisticated proposition.
—Adam Rogers, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2009
Another day of subnormal temperatures is slated for Monday before winds shift to a west-to-east orientation.
—Tom Skilling, chicagotribune.com, 25 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for subnormal
Adjective
-
Presented here, through some visual trickery, as a diminutive schlump with a hideous comb-over, Hawke doesn’t exactly disappear into the role, which strikes me as fortuitous and perhaps deliberate.—
Justin Chang,
The New Yorker,
27 Feb. 2025
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Named Grace after the late pioneer of software engineering Grace Murray Hopper, the diminutive craft will conduct several hops that reach up to 50 meters (164 feet) in the air before diving into a nearby crater that lives in permanent shadow.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Beneath that ice, the light sensors recorded an astronomically small number of photons: an upper range of 0.04 micromoles per square meter per second, a number very close to the theoretical minimum amount of light that photosynthesis can run on.—
Asher Elbein,
WIRED,
2 Mar. 2025
-
Despite being a very small heavyweight at 210 pounds, sophomore Daniel Moylan, took third at 285.—
Kevin J. Farmer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In many cases, these communities had gotten little federal attention for generations, Ortiz said.—
Zoë Schlanger,
The Atlantic,
7 Mar. 2025
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But these little twinges the audience might feel about everyone being mortal only added, if anything, to the evening’s personal potency, and the vitality of a reconvening of the tribe that supported the Wilson sisters from the outset, along with strays picked up during the MTV years.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Haskell says a key issue is something called turbidity — how much mud and fine sediment is stirred up when cruise ships enter the harbor.—
Greg Allen,
NPR,
5 Mar. 2025
-
But Daniel doesn’t draw from these fine actors the scale of performance that Parks’ drama demands.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Built with water-resistant polyester, this spacious duffel has a dedicated shoe compartment, an end pocket for wet or dirty clothes, a multi-pocket compression panel for organization, and an interior divider curtain that can be removed to hold bulky clothes or outdoor gear.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Jan. 2025
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The Vault by Vans x Nicole McLaughlin Collection includes special-edition versions of the iconic Vans Slip-On VP VR3 LX with adaptations—think canvas pockets and easy-carry heel straps—inspired by a classic multi-pocket garden tote and workwear bucket bag often used on construction job sites.—
Hollyanna McCollom,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Subnormal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/subnormal. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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