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 monologue that led to Kimmel’s involuntary hiatus was thoroughly unexceptional for the show.
—
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025
The Citizen: This is a character who is normal in every possible way, living an unexceptional life, who makes a morally dubious choice that leads them down The Path Of No Return.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Aaron Rodgers has plenty to prove heading into the Pittsburgh Steelers' season opener after a rather unexceptional 2024 from both a team and an individual perspective.
—Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Left exposed, Lebanon could not prevent Iran from projecting its power through Hezbollah, which evolved from its original state as an unexceptional guerilla force into a highly professional and well-armed paramilitary organization.
—Bilal Y. Saab, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2010
See All Example Sentences for unexceptional
Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025
The Citizen: This is a character who is normal in every possible way, living an unexceptional life, who makes a morally dubious choice that leads them down The Path Of No Return.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Aaron Rodgers has plenty to prove heading into the Pittsburgh Steelers' season opener after a rather unexceptional 2024 from both a team and an individual perspective.
—Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Left exposed, Lebanon could not prevent Iran from projecting its power through Hezbollah, which evolved from its original state as an unexceptional guerilla force into a highly professional and well-armed paramilitary organization.
—Bilal Y. Saab, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2010
See All Example Sentences for unexceptional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unexceptional
Adjective
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Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Law, said Trump’s attempts to bypass the normal confirmation processes are unconstitutional.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
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According to the study, it is encoded in the internal structure of the remnant through what physicists call quasi-normal modes.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Deuterium can replace one or both of the ordinary hydrogen atoms in water, which is what scientists mean by deuterium enrichment.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
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For instance, investments that give off income that is taxed at ordinary rates go into retirement accounts like IRAs, said CFP Cathy Curtis, founder and CEO of Curtis Financial Planning.—
Michelle Fox,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The deeper layers of your soul may feel much nearer to the surface than usual.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Apr. 2026
-
With speed on the right wing as essentially a pure winger rather than her usual right-back role, Oke gave Reign’s defense fits, especially when another midfielder joined and created overloads.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Precipitation is currently about 90 percent of average, boosted by strong winter storms in December.—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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The average cost of mold remediation is about $2,300, according to Angi, a home services marketplace.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Games that still are too typical of the NCAA women’s tournament where the higher seed seldom loses.—
Mac Engel
March 31,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
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Food and drink At first glance, Harriet’s Rooftop & Lounge seemed like a typical NYC rooftop—the kind of place where views take priority and food is an afterthought.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Brenner pointed out that across all three enterprises, there is a need to fulfill customer desires for optionality above all else, even as same-day delivery becomes more commonplace among delivery providers.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Mar. 2026
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Moore’s demo may seem far-fetched, but the future of these privacy intrusions may become commonplace.—
Justyn Newman,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Just under eight minutes into the first period Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers, Ovechkin popped Flyers defenseman Cam York with a firm but largely unremarkable shove.—
Bailey Johnson,
Washington Post,
1 Apr. 2026
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Visually and viscerally, Bright Lights is about as captivating and unremarkable as municipal building artwork.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unexceptional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unexceptional. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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