common

adjective

ˈkä-mən How to pronounce common (audio)
Definition of commonnext
1
as in ordinary
often observed or encountered horse ranches are a common sight in that part of the state

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2
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events just a common house cat but an extraordinary friend

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3
as in general
belonging or relating to the whole facts of common knowledge

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4
as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank a man of wealth and privilege who mingled without pretense with the common folk

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5
as in prevailing
held by or applicable to a majority of the people a politician who works not for the special interests but for the common good

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6
as in collective
used or done by a number of people as a group used a common bathroom while at the campground

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7
as in mediocre
of average to below average quality has a common singing voice that's good enough for performing at those venues

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8
as in poor
of low quality furniture of common workmanship that did not justify the high prices

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9
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste embarrassed by the common manners of his new in-laws

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective common contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of common are familiar, ordinary, plain, popular, and vulgar. While all these words mean "generally met with and not in any way special, strange, or unusual," common implies usual everyday quality or frequency of occurrence and may additionally suggest inferiority or coarseness.

a common error
lacked common honesty
common manners

When would familiar be a good substitute for common?

The words familiar and common are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, familiar stresses the fact of being generally known and easily recognized.

a familiar melody

In what contexts can ordinary take the place of common?

The meanings of ordinary and common largely overlap; however, ordinary stresses conformance in quality or kind with the regular order of things.

an ordinary pleasant summer day
a very ordinary sort of man

When is plain a more appropriate choice than common?

While in some cases nearly identical to common, plain is likely to suggest homely simplicity.

plain hard-working people

When might popular be a better fit than common?

Although the words popular and common have much in common, popular applies to what is accepted by or prevalent among people in general sometimes in contrast to upper classes or special groups.

a writer of popular romances

How do vulgar and popular relate to one another, in the sense of common?

Vulgar, otherwise similar to popular, is likely to carry derogatory connotations (as of inferiority or coarseness).

souvenirs designed to appeal to the vulgar taste

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of common The fact that red dwarfs are the most common type of star in the Milky Way, accounting for around 75% of the stars in our galaxy, means this type of planetary engulfment may be extremely common. —Robert Lea, Space.com, 29 May 2026 Michigan has banned the import of six invasive plant species, writes the Detroit Free Press, including the Callery pear tree, glossy buckthorn, common buckthorn and Japanese barberry. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 29 May 2026 What are common blush mistakes? —Jenny Berg, Glamour, 29 May 2026 This feeling is surprisingly common. —Meehika Barua, Time, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for common
Recent Examples of Synonyms for common
  1. ordinary
  2. normal
  3. general
  4. low
  5. prevailing
  6. collective
  7. mediocre
  8. poor
Adjective
  • Trump has effectively cast journalists as a separate special-interest group—apart from ordinary American citizens.
    — Adrienne LaFrance, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
  • For ordinary consumer debts, a debt collector almost always needs a court judgment before garnishing anything.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 1 June 2026
Definition of ordinary
Adjective
  • Jabbing pain and constant malaise followed him for years, but regular blood tests always came back normal — until one day a specialist thought to ask something new.
    — Rachel Zimmerman, Washington Post, 6 June 2026
  • Although resuming his normal testosterone dosage shortly after the procedure, Kenny’s menstrual cycle started to return.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • That's our mission now is to help other DIYers learn how to do more on their project, from general contracting all the way through some of the actual construction elements.
    — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
  • There are chances to take a deep dive into various history or literature classes beyond general education requirements, or for students to discover their passions or potential career pathways, Ellman said.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
Definition of general
Adjective
  • The rulings do not clear the former paramedics of wrongdoing but return the cases to the lower court for a possible retrial.
    — Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 5 June 2026
  • The tech contagion spread to stocks in Asia, dragging key indexes lower.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 5 June 2026
Definition of low
Adjective
  • The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy.
    — Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of prevailing
Adjective
  • The New York Knicks held their collective breath during the first quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night after All-Star guard Jalen Brunson suffered an injury scare against the San Antonio Spurs.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 4 June 2026
  • The Cannes Film Festival is a collective celebration and must remain one.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 4 June 2026
Definition of collective
Adjective
  • Winnipeg’s power play was mediocre last season; a merely average 20 percent rate would have been worth three or four more goals.
    — Murat Ates, New York Times, 1 June 2026
  • Those references were firmly planted in 2010s millennial nostalgia, which is reflected in the characters, particularly Oscar Isaac’s Josh Martin, the general manager of an exclusive California country club and a mediocre synth player who’s a huge fan of the English pop band Hot Chip.
    — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 31 May 2026
Definition of mediocre
Adjective
  • Common travel regrets stem from preventable issues like poor planning, budget problems, and choosing the wrong companions.
    — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 June 2026
  • O’Farrell’s inclination for narratives propelled by brutal coincidence and fatally poor timing tenders a Hardy-esque vision of the world, one that emphasizes the rigid, often cruel limits of an individual’s jurisdiction over the course of their life.
    — Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026
Definition of poor

Phrases Containing common

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commodores
common
commonalities
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Cite this Entry

“Common.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/common. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on common

Nglish: Translation of common for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about common

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