uncommon

adjective

un·​com·​mon ˌən-ˈkä-mən 

1

: not ordinarily encountered : unusual

an uncommon plant

2

: remarkable, exceptional

a soldier of uncommon courage

uncommonly adverb

uncommonness

ˌən-ˈkä-mən-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• aberrant
• aberrated
• abnormal
• anomalous
• atypical
• especial
• exceeding
• exceptional
• extraordinaire
• extraordinary
• freak
• odd
• peculiar
• phenomenal
• preternatural
• rare
• singular
• uncustomary
• unique
• unusual
• unwonted

Choose the Right Synonym for uncommon

infrequent, uncommon, scarce, rare, sporadic mean not common or abundant.

infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time.

infrequent family visits

uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation.

smallpox is now uncommon in many countries

scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance.

jobs were scarce during the Depression

rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value.

rare first editions

sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts.

sporadic cases of influenza

Examples of uncommon in a Sentence

It is not uncommon for people to become depressed after they retire.

an athlete with uncommon ability

a soldier of uncommon courage

She is an uncommon woman.

Recent Examples on the Web

Every great American story is sentimental in the same way: instincts born out of struggle, the triumph of the schoolyard over the classroom, uncommon creativity driven by necessity. —Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 23 June 2025

At the end of the day, the Ducks have an uncommon level of control over personnel between the ability to match any offer sheets to their RFAs and the circumstantial factors surrounding their UFAs. —Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 19 June 2025

That’s not an uncommon sight for K-pop superstars, as their massive followings understand how the charts work and focus their energy on pushing a title as high as possible in its first frame. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025

Just a small, but not uncommon moment while filming this show 📱🔥. —Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 17 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for uncommon

• aman
• brahman
• brahmin
• common
• lawman

Kids Definition

uncommon

adjective

un·​com·​mon ˌən-ˈkäm-ən 

ˈən-

1

: not ordinarily found or experienced : unusual

not uncommon to catch a cold

2

: extraordinary, remarkable, exceptional

has uncommon ability

uncommonly adverb

uncommonness

-ən-nəs 

noun