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 Aer, a new kid on the luggage block, saw this common problem hadn’t yet been solved by its competitors and created a carry-on suitcase with brakes. —Jamie Hergenrader, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2025 As his commitment to democracy has disappeared, Erdogan has found common cause with the West's adversaries, including Vladimir Putin. —Jesse Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025 Heartburn is a common side effect of using weight loss injections. —Latoya Gayle, People.com, 15 July 2025 This is an example of the complex variations and phase outs of tax changes that are common in the BBB, and which make understanding the changes and planning for them quite complex. —Martin Shenkman, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for common
Recent Examples of Synonyms for common
  1. ordinary
  2. normal
  3. general
  4. low
  5. collective
  6. mediocre
  7. poor
  8. vulgar
Adjective
  • Our party wants to give ordinary workers a raise by raising the living wage.
    — Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025
  • Davis has another theory, that ‘Squid Game’ benefited from a COVID-era viewership and ‘Shōgun’ benefited from the Hollywood strikes, but in ordinary years there’s still a hurdle to non-English programs.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 18 July 2025
Definition of ordinary
Adjective
  • Newsweek has contacted the White House press office for comment outside of normal business hours.
    — Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
  • By morning, service on the subway had resumed on a normal schedule.
    — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 15 July 2025
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • Credit card debt in general has seen fresh highs in the years following the pandemic, as inflationary pressures and stagnant wage growth have caused many Americans to look to consumer debt to fill the gaps.
    — Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
  • That orbit in general is an ellipse, an oval shape.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 25 July 2025
Definition of general
Adjective
  • Europe’s Stoxx 600 index closed 0.06% lower on Monday, after shaving off losses late in the day to finish at a session high.
    — Chloe Taylor,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 15 July 2025
  • In the United States, a measles outbreak that originated in a part of West Texas that has a low vaccination rate continues to spread, and there have been more measles cases reported in the US this year than any other since the disease was declared eliminated a quarter-century ago.
    — Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 15 July 2025
Definition of low
Adjective
  • His work tells the stories of small communities living in conditions of marginalization and social exclusion, revealing their intimate points of view while expressing broader collective needs.
    — PhotoVogue, Vogue, 23 July 2025
  • Rap collective Odd Future generates deafening buzz at side parties, storms off official showcase after three songs.
    — Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 23 July 2025
Definition of collective
Adjective
  • However, the space program has been restricted so far to a mediocre elite.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 15 July 2025
  • This seems like a tall order for a mediocre team with below-average pitching.
    — Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Definition of mediocre
Adjective
  • Spurred by climate change, Canadian wildfires have increasingly exacerbated poor air quality across Milwaukee and southern Wisconsin.
    — Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • Other critical factors that led to several brands exiting Japan, like Ford in 2016, were insufficient product lineups, and a poor dealer network.
    — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Definition of poor
Adjective
  • Because at the time, Madonna was seen as this controversial and sort of vulgar character.
    — Terry Gross, NPR, 17 July 2025
  • Users must also opt-in to see the vulgar version of Bad Rudi, rather than a more family-friendly version known simply as Rudi.
    — David Ingram, NBC news, 15 July 2025
Definition of vulgar

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 29 Jul. 2025.

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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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