Synonym Chooser

How is the word uncommon distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of uncommon are infrequent, rare, scarce, and sporadic. While all these words mean "not common or abundant," uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation.

smallpox is now uncommon in many countries

When could infrequent be used to replace uncommon?

In some situations, the words infrequent and uncommon are roughly equivalent. However, infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time.

infrequent family visits

When would rare be a good substitute for uncommon?

The words rare and uncommon are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value.

rare first editions

When is it sensible to use scarce instead of uncommon?

While in some cases nearly identical to uncommon, scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance.

jobs were scarce during the Depression

In what contexts can sporadic take the place of uncommon?

The words sporadic and uncommon can be used in similar contexts, but sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts.

sporadic cases of influenza

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 uncommon According to the gymnast, the disease is uncommon and has no cure. Natasha Dye, People.com, 25 Mar. 2025 Some keycap profiles are perfectly flat, although these are uncommon and typically only used on keyboards with low-profile switches and/or ortho-linear layouts. Henri Robbins, WIRED, 24 Mar. 2025 This kind of explosive growth is uncommon, especially for a song that has already been available for months, but there’s a good reason why superfans of the South Korean powerhouse talent returned to sites like iTunes to buy the cut. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025 After an armistice, Trump might reconsider his stance, which is not uncommon in international relations. Seung-Whan Choi, Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for uncommon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncommon
Adjective
  • Read More | McClatchy News continues to follow the discovery of the most unusual and intriguing new species.
    Stories by Real-Time news team, with AI summarization, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Instead of relying on old red flags like misspellings or poor grammar, employees should be trained to identify behavioral anomalies, such as unexpected requests for urgent financial transactions or unusual communication patterns.
    Stephen Moore, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • About 25% of its brands are either not available or rare in the U.S., such as the Joseph Duclos brand, a French luxury name that made a handbag sported by Taylor Swift, Printemps CEO Jean-Marc Bellaiche said.
    Melissa Repko, CNBC, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Keep reading for 11 rare On deals from Zappos, REI, and more — up to 40 percent off.
    Melony Forcier, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Unlike many younger trees, this tree exhibits extraordinary adaptations.
    Scott Travers, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Barry has had an extraordinary coaching journey, considering his playing experiences took him no higher than League One, the English game’s third division.
    Simon Hughes, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Sure, the plot’s kind of a mess, but warrior Alice is an empowering turn while Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter’s big-headed Red Queen are splendidly strange.
    Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025
  • This brings to conclusion one of the stranger and more dramatic human spaceflight stories in years.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • However, the fact that the female figure may represent a priestess holding religious objects makes the discovery exceptional, as the researchers write.
    Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Despite their extensive tag team history, the match devolved into a repetitive exchange of superkicks, failing to showcase the wrestlers' true abilities and leaving fans disappointed, especially amidst an otherwise exceptional WrestleMania card.
    Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Everyone was so nervous to tell Mike what our number was, which was so funny.
    Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Welcome to My Blue Sky is twice as great — totally brash, always loud, always effusive, and usually funny even when their lives are falling apart, which is constantly.
    Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Remember, your unique perspective is your greatest strength.
    Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The note features a cryptic math puzzle that, when solved correctly using a unique personal identifier, reveals the phone number of the person who found the wallet.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Gargantuan, weird outcomes can start small in the tech world, and often innocently.
    Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The trendy beauty treatment is all the rage on TikTok, and it’s garnered tons of attention for being a weird way to reap anti-aging benefits.
    Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 21 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Uncommon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncommon. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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