ˌən-ik-ˈsep-sh(ə-)nəl
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events
the physicist, now regarded as one of the brightest minds in science, was an unexceptional student as a child
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Recent Examples of unexceptional
The movie offers phantasmagorical twists on unexceptional banalities.
—
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2025
Or an unexceptional finance guy who is nevertheless built like a famous Hemsworth brother.
—Amanda Hess, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
In a statement on Wednesday, Justice Alito said the call was an unexceptional endorsement of a talented clerk.
—Adam Liptak, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Thai immigration officials said visitor numbers from Myanmar were unexceptional.
—Jintamas Saksornchai, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unexceptional
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2025
Or an unexceptional finance guy who is nevertheless built like a famous Hemsworth brother.
—Amanda Hess, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
In a statement on Wednesday, Justice Alito said the call was an unexceptional endorsement of a talented clerk.
—Adam Liptak, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Thai immigration officials said visitor numbers from Myanmar were unexceptional.
—Jintamas Saksornchai, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unexceptional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unexceptional
Adjective
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At the World Championships, Metcalfe saw a competitor achieve a 100kg deadlift and decided to push herself beyond her normal limits.—
Andy Frye,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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In normal circumstances, the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act barring U.S. soldiers from acting like law enforcement in the U.S. But the Insurrection Act, first enacted in 1792, allows the president to deploy the military inside the U.S. to help civilian law enforcement with law enforcement duties.—
Kathryn Watson,
CBS News,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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But then again … Look one more time at the last entry in the catalog of ordinary human stuff that the turtle’s shell is compared to: pottery.—
A.O. Scott,
New York Times,
13 June 2025
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JetBlue Airways flight 312 arrived from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport around 11:55 a.m. in what passengers described as an ordinary landing.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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New customers in eligible states can complete these steps to make a larger bet than usual on horse racing: Create an account through the links on this page to activate the best FanDuel promo code offer for the Belmont Stakes.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
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Shot in Georgia as usual, Perry’s latest is one of his best-crafted in tech and design terms, with particularly solid work from cinematographer Justyn Moro and editor Nick Coker.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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Above average temperatures will continue this weekend.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
15 June 2025
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Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty Clerc said that raising the FRA could slash average lifetime benefits by nearly 20 percent, according to research from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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The show ran for four seasons until 2011 and followed a typical teenager who secretly had a double life as a famous pop star.—
Nicholas Rice,
People.com,
7 June 2025
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Ordinarily, between 1,700 and 2,000 job orders are posted during a typical day shift, and between 1,100 and 1,400 are posted during a standard night shift.—
Caroline Petrow-Cohen,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Differences of opinion between economists, scorekeepers and analysts are commonplace, as are the heated rhetorical attacks lobbed at the Congressional Budget Office.—
Phil Mattingly,
CNN Money,
4 June 2025
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In an era where burnout is commonplace and uncertainty is constant, cultivating playful mindsets may well be one of the most powerful leadership strategies available.—
Anna Boltenko,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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With an overall respectable, though unremarkable, performance in his 11 games with the Red Sox, Newcomb is expected to catch on with another team in need of middle-relief or spot-starting help.—
Jon Vankin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 May 2025
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Verstappen's initial start from the line looked unremarkable, too—the Mercedes of George Russell seemed more of a threat to the pole man.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unexceptional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unexceptional. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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