commonplace

1 of 2

adjective

: commonly found or seen : ordinary, unremarkable

a commonplace occurrence

the large mergers that had become commonplace

Computers are commonplace in classrooms.

commonplaceness noun

commonplace

2 of 2

noun

com·​mon·​place ˈkä-mən-ˌplās 

1

a

: an obvious or trite comment : truism

It is a commonplace that a fool and his money are soon parted.

b

: something commonly found

A smartphone is a commonplace.

2

archaic : a striking passage entered in a commonplace book

Synonyms

Adjective

• average
• common
• cut-and-dried
• cut-and-dry
• everyday
• garden-variety
• normal
• ordinary
• prosaic
• routine
• run-of-the-mill
• standard
• standard-issue
• unexceptional
• unremarkable
• usual
• workaday

Noun

• banality
• bromide
• chestnut
• cliché
• cliche
• groaner
• homily
• platitude
• shibboleth
• trope
• truism

Examples of commonplace in a Sentence

Adjective

Drug use has become commonplace at rock concerts.

He photographed commonplace objects like lamps and bowls.

Noun

It is a commonplace that we only use a small part of our brain's capacity.

We now accept cell phones and laptop computers as commonplaces of everyday life.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Over time, investing in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) or Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), which serve traditionally underserved markets, has become commonplace. —Brock Blake, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025

The mass protests that have become commonplace since October 7 are not so much against the military or war writ large, but in favor of a ceasefire deal to bring home hostages held in Gaza. —Zeena Saifi, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025

Noun

Luxury scented candles, like room sprays for that matter, have the power to elevate any moment: taking it from commonplace to utterly indulgent. —Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Mar. 2025

The Grand Ole Opry House holds 4,400 people, but can’t accommodate standing-room tours, a commonplace in genres like EDM and hip-hop. —Matthew Leimkuehler, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

translation of Latin locus communis widely applicable argument, translation of Greek koinos topos

First Known Use

Adjective

1616, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1531, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing commonplace

• commonplace book

Rhymes for commonplace

• aerospace
• anatase
• anyplace
• cyberspace
• database
• diabase
• diastase
• dnase
• elastase
• fireplace
• hyperspace
• interface

Kids Definition

commonplace

1 of 2 noun

com·​mon·​place ˈkäm-ən-ˌplās 

: something that is often seen, heard, or met with

commonplace

2 of 2 adjective

: very common or ordinary