1
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events
a commonplace occurrence
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ubiquitous
often observed or encountered
the large corporate mergers that have become commonplace
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3
as in stereotyped
used or heard so often as to be dull
a thriller that uses the commonplace plot twist of the evil twin
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as in cliché
an idea or expression that has been used by many people
the familiar summertime commonplace that "It's not the heat, it's the humidity"
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commonplace
Cal Revely-Calder,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
Before alternate jerseys became commonplace, the 1990s were a time of uniform experimentation across all sports.
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Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
Domenica Bongiovanni,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
By the time Szeemann was invited to organize two consecutive installments of the Venice Biennale (in 1999 and 2001), the criticism of curators’ assuming the role of meta-artists, in Szeemann’s case with quasi-shamanistic aspirations, had become a commonplace.
—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commonplace
Adjective
In the past few centuries, the mental self-portrait has become commonplace.
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Cal Revely-Calder,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
Before alternate jerseys became commonplace, the 1990s were a time of uniform experimentation across all sports.
—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
29 June 2026
Noun
In the early 2000s, Sears began to use its website — the new iteration of its catalog — to help pioneer the now-commonplace practices of buying goods online and picking them up in store.
—
Domenica Bongiovanni,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
By the time Szeemann was invited to organize two consecutive installments of the Venice Biennale (in 1999 and 2001), the criticism of curators’ assuming the role of meta-artists, in Szeemann’s case with quasi-shamanistic aspirations, had become a commonplace.
—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commonplace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commonplace
Adjective
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Shah adds that many women feel their best when ferritin levels are at least between 40 and 70 ng/ml for optimal energy and hair health, even if lab ranges suggest lower levels are ‘normal’.
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People are being asked to have their trash and recycling at the curb at least one hour prior to their normal pickup time.
Adjective
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The Human Edge In An AI-First Era As AI becomes ubiquitous, the last real differentiator is human.
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Even a brand name as ubiquitous as Walmart is always looking to strengthen its customer base.
Adjective
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This is a directed, stereotyped behavior in which the highest-resolution region of the somatosensory surface is brought to bear on the object requiring the most detailed analysis.
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In some cases, praise took on overtly stereotyped forms: words like 'love' were used disproportionately with female students, while 'powerful' appeared only for Black students.
Noun
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This is certainly true—and a rather banal truism.
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Rick Jackson is testing that truism in his campaign for Georgia governor.
Adjective
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Lander also backs an ultra-wealth tax on individuals worth over $1 billion, as well as the Equal Tax Act, which matches tax rates for capital gains and ordinary income over $1 million.
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In 2022 long-term acute care hospitals accounted for 56 percent of screening detections and ordinary acute care hospitals for 25; by 2024 the proportions had inverted, to 36 and 51.
Adjective
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And because of the extreme concentration of wealth, the market’s rally is much more significant to the economy than usual — for good and bad.
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In fact, Iran has no intention of going back to business as usual in the strait, Noam Raydan, senior fellow at the Washington Institute think tank, wrote in a blog post on Friday.
Adjective
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Hollywood Plot Lines and Reality These are the tired questions every UFO skeptic asks.
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If your complexion tends to look flat or tired by midday, this powder can help bring back some radiance.
Noun
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Communion does him no favors, though, mostly in its sheer banality.
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Here, Laura, a magazine writer in London, drifts through old friendships, failed romances, and the gothic banalities of family life.
Cite this Entry
“Commonplace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commonplace. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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