Meaning

Ordinary; not having any remarkable characteristics..

Definitions by Sense

1. Ordinary; not having any remarkable characteristics.
2. A platitude or cliché.
3. Something that is ordinary; something commonly done or occurring.
4. A memorandum; something to be frequently consulted or referred to.
5. A commonplace book.
6. (transitive) To make a commonplace book.
7. (transitive) To enter in a commonplace book, or to reduce to general heads.
8. (obsolete, intransitive) To utter commonplaces; to indulge in platitudes.

Example Sentences

"This Mr. Tyrrel," she said, in a tone of authoritative decision, "seems after all a very ordinary sort of person, quite a commonplace man."

In the old days, to my commonplace and unobserving mind, he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts,[…], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned.

I could get hold of nothing but of some commonplace phrases, those futile phrases that give the measure of our impotence before each other's trials.

Commonplace sounds had turned into threats.

In the old days, hopping onto the platform from a not-yet-stopped train was a commonplace stunt for daily commuters in a hurry.

Finally he began to mutter some commonplaces which meant nothing particularly.

And something angered Tamara in the way the Prince assisted in all this, out-commonplacing her friend in commonplaces with the suavest politeness.

It is odd how easily the common-places of morality or of sentiment glide off in conversation. Well, they are "exceedingly helpful," and so Lord Avonleigh found them.

Word Forms

• more commonplace
• most commonplace
• common place
• common-place
• commonplaces
• commonplacing
• commonplaced

Synonyms for commonplace

Antonyms for commonplace

Related Words

When Should You Use Commonplace?

Use commonplace when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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