1
as in normality
the quality or state of being mediocre
She's a perfectionist who refuses to settle for mediocrity.
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2
as in nothing
a person of little fame
He surrounded himself with mediocrities to appear more notable by comparison.
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Recent Examples of mediocrity
Until the Heat gets real and welcomes Pat Riley or his way overdue replacement to the 21st century, the middling Heat will have an annual reservation at the NBA table of mediocrity.
—
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 June 2026
The amount of mediocrity in the AL means the Tigers are by no means out of postseason contention, but they are tied for last in the AL Central even after winning five of their last six.
—ABC News, 8 June 2026
For comparison, that same record in the NL would sandwich them in mediocrity — five teams below them and five standing between them and a playoff spot.
—Levi Weaver, New York Times, 8 June 2026
There is a lot to be said about following a team from mediocrity to greatness.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mediocrity
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 June 2026
The amount of mediocrity in the AL means the Tigers are by no means out of postseason contention, but they are tied for last in the AL Central even after winning five of their last six.
—ABC News, 8 June 2026
For comparison, that same record in the NL would sandwich them in mediocrity — five teams below them and five standing between them and a playoff spot.
—Levi Weaver, New York Times, 8 June 2026
There is a lot to be said about following a team from mediocrity to greatness.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for mediocrity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mediocrity
Noun
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But normality is gauged by behavior, an individual’s social life.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
-
And, in the period since, a sense of normality has returned.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Noun
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While CinemaCon 2026 brought us exciting news about new films, it was also bogged down with status quo nothings about how Amazon MGM still hasn’t found a new James Bond.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
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When Dana, who, like Virginia, had been successful in writing pleasant but undistinguished nothings—in her case, songs for Billy Rose’s revues—decided to try taking on more serious music by studying with Boulanger, Virginia entered a deep downward spiral.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Joe, who was selected because of his averageness, turns out to be the smartest person on Earth in the future and lands a job working for President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho (Terry Crews).—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Garth Jennings has made a movie charting Pulp’s rise from obscurity to cultural touchstone, set to premiere exclusively on Mubi this fall.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
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Goldman was deported to Russia in the Palmer Raids of 1919—an undocumented immigrant, shipped to obscurity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 June 2026
Noun
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The rate has been gradually dropping for decades, due to cigarette taxes, tobacco product price hikes, smoking bans, public education campaigns and changes in the social acceptability of lighting up in public.—
Mike Stobbe,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
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People who feel othered often describe exhaustion from performing acceptability.—
Jennifer Jay Palumbo,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
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That comes to the Philippines in the form of war, as well as through the invocation, or establishment, of American-style modes of government and education that place Filipinos along this racial hierarchy, identifying them as these inferiors that need to be taught how to govern themselves.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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On one side, a satanic figure named Randall Flagg who gathers his forces of badness to Las Vegas; on the other, the good guys, led by 108-year-old Mother Abigail in, of all places, Boulder.—
Barbara Ellis,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
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The show premiered over Thanksgiving weekend, when people were tired and full and bored (and probably also horny), and countered our world’s unceasing badness with its world’s buoyant sweetness.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Detainees at the facility have reported a lack of access to lawyers and poor physical conditions, including worms in the food, toilets that do not flush, floors flooding with fecal waste and insects everywhere.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
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To attract birds to your yard, plant trees for nesting and insects, shrubs for berries and cover, wildflowers and grasses for seeds and pollinators, plus vines that feed birds and soften fences.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mediocrity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mediocrity. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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