To take an express train, we have to get an express ticket in addition to an ordinary ticket.
Source: tatoeba (19612)
Ordinary
/ˈɔɹdɪnɛɹi/
Synonyms for "ordinary" (527 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (106)
a la carteacceptableacceptedaccustomedachievementactualalerionamerican planamicus curiaeanimal chargeannuletargentarmorial bearingsarmoryarmsartlessassessoratticaverageazure
Show 57 more words
babbittishbanalbandeaubarbar sinisterbarmasterbasebornbatonbearingsbelow the saltbendbend sinisterbesettingbilletbizarreblazonblazonryboardinghousebordurebourgeoisbroad arrowcadency markcampycantoncentralchancellorchapletchargechastechevronchiefcircuit judgeclassicclassicalcoat of armscockatricecockneycommoncommonplaceconformableconsuetudinaryconventionconventionalcoronetcouvertcovercover chargecrescentcrestcrosscross molinecrowncuriouscurrentcustomarydailydead
Adjective(24 words)
academic mediocrityaverageaverage caseaverage valueaverage-case space complexitybasic materialsbasic plywoodbasic principlebasic skillcivilian vehiclescolloquial termcommon eventscommon goalscommon instancecommon natural phenomenoncommon prepositionscommon rockcommon statistical conceptcommonestcommonplace phrase
Show 4 more words
conventional ideadaily activitydaily life activitydaily task
Determiner(1 words)
any old thing
Noun(4 words)
average case complexitycommon anatomical featurecommon phrases in portuguesecommon trait
Strong matches (158)
decentdemeaningdevicedifferencedifferencingdifferentdisadvantageddominantdormdormitorydoss housedrearydulleagleearthborneccentricepidemicermineermineserminites
Show 100 more words
erminoisescutcheonestablishedeuropean planeverydayexcellentexceptionalexpectedextraordinaryfairfalconfamiliarfessfess pointfieldfileflanchflatfleabagfleur-de-lisflophousefrequentfrequentativefretfurfusilgardengarden varietygarden-varietygarlandgeneralgenerally acceptedgriffinguest housegulesgyronhabitualhackhatchmenthelmetheraldic devicehigh-camphomelyhomespunhonor pointhospicehostelhostelryhotelhouseholdhumblehumdrumignobleimpalementimpalingin the shadeindifferentinescutcheoninferiorinformalinfra diginninsipidintermediaryintermediatejajudge advocatejudge ordinaryjuniorjuratjustice in eyrejustice of assizekitschylabellay judgelegal assessorlesslesserlionlodging houselourlowlow-camplowbornlowbredlowerlowlylozengemantlingmanymany timesmarshalingmartletmasclemastermatter-of-factmeanmedialmedianmediocre
Noun(15 words)
defaulteveryday calculationseveryday wearfolkfrench regulergeneral chemistry problemsgeneral practicegeneral sales tax revenuehierarchhome routineless distinctiveless uniquemainstreammainstream lifemath convention
Adjective(23 words)
everyday activitieseveryday communicationeveryday household itemseveryday itemeveryday languageseveryday natural languageeveryday objecteveryday objectseveryday routineseveryday speecheveryday taskeveryday taskseveryday termeveryday wordferialgeneral portuguesegeneral textgeneral use itemsgeneric contentgeneric pattern
Show 3 more words
Related words (263)
Adjective(40 words)
mediocre effortmediocre workmodestmost commonplacemundane concernsmundane ideamundane routinenatural systemsnon science unitnormalnormal datanormal patternnormal regulationplainplain vanillaplebeian inhabitantprivate soldierprofane itemregularregular energy label
Show 20 more words
regular itemregular stringroman plebeianroutine answerroutine meetingroutine proceduressimplestandardstandard germanstandard measurementsstandard taskstandard termstandard textstandard walkertrivialtypicaltypical complexityunembellishedunremarkedworldly
mediummetalmiddle-classmiddle-of-the-roadmiddlingmilitary judgemillminormoderatemodestmonotonousmottomulletmundanenaturalno great shakesnombril pointnonclericalnondescriptnorm
Show 171 more words
normalnormativenot rareobtainingoctofoiloddof common occurrenceoffbeatoft-repeatedoftentimeombudsmanororiginalorleorthodoxoutlandishpalepalypandemicpassablepeanpeasantpeculiarpedestrianpensionpheonphilistinepicturesqueplainplasticplebeianpoetrylesspolice judgepoppopularposadapracticalpredominantpredominatingprescribedprescriptivepresiding judgeprevailingprevalentprobate judgeprosaicprosingprosyprovincialpubpublicpublic housepuisne judgepurepure and simplepurpurequaintquarterquarteringquotidianrampantrarereceivedrecorderrecurrentregnantregularregulationreigningriferoadhouserooming houseroseroutineruderulingrun-of-minerun-of-the-millrunningsablesaltirescutcheonsecond ranksecond stringsecondaryself-serviceserviceservilesetshabby-genteelshieldsimplesingularso sospread eaglestandardstaplestatus quostereotypedstockstrangestrikingsubsubalternsubjectsubordinarysubordinatesubservientsuburbantametaverntennethe commonthe commonplacethe normalthe ordinarythe usualthick-comingthird rankthird stringthird-estatetime-honoredtincturetiresometolerabletorsetraditionaltressuretritetypicaluncommonunconventionalunderprivilegedundistinguishedunembellisheduneventfulunexceptionalunexpectedunfamiliarungenteelunicornunidealisticunimaginativeunimpassioneduninspireduniqueuniversalunnoteworthyunpoeticunpoeticalunpretentiousunprofessionalunrefinedunremarkableunromanticunspectacularunusualusualvairvapidvernacularvertvice-chancellorvulgarweirdwidespreadwontedworkadayworkdaywreathyale
Noun(29 words)
Determiner(2 words)
most everydaythird estate
Verb(1 words)
typify common traits
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: a la carte, academic mediocrity, acceptable, accepted, accustomed.
- Sentence evidence is available for ordinary, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, wordnet, opengloss, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "ordinary".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "ordinary"
Keep "ordinary" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "ordinary" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "ordinary", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "ordinary" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
16 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
6 entriesordinary circumstancesordinary courseordinary dayordinary lifeordinary measuresordinary people
Inflections
2 entriesmore ordinarymost ordinary
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
25 entriesaveragebanausiccharacterlesscommoncommonplacecut-and-driedcut-and-dryeverydayfairindifferentmediocremiddlingmine runmundanenondescriptquotidian
Showing 16 of 25 words.
Sample sentences
35 total sentences available.
Women who, at first glance, appear to be completely ordinary also don't seem to be in that much of a rush to get married.
Source: tatoeba (27823)
The doctors say the dying man would have kicked the bucket hours ago if he were an ordinary man, but he is still defying death.
Source: tatoeba (28023)
Please come in an ordinary dress.
Source: tatoeba (38822)
Showing 4 of 35 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "ordinary"?
Closest matches include a la carte, academic mediocrity, acceptable, accepted, accustomed.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "ordinary"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.