commonplace

commonplace — adjective

1. so widely seen, heard, or experienced that people no longer find it surprising,

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

so widely seen, heard, or experienced that people no longer find it surprising, interesting, or worth special attention

Example

Smartphones have become so commonplace that even young children carry them to school.

collocation: become commonplace

Car theft in this neighbourhood is commonplace, so residents now park inside locked garages.

Common collocations
  • become commonplace
  • quite commonplace
  • so commonplace that
  • considered commonplace
  • completely commonplace
  • increasingly commonplace
Synonyms
  • ordinary

    less formal; describes something average or typical without the 'so frequent it is unremarkable' emphasis

  • unremarkable

    focuses on the lack of anything special or noteworthy

  • run-of-the-mill

    informal; suggests something is average and uninspiring

  • widespread

    emphasises geographical or demographic range rather than frequency

Antonyms
  • rare

    the direct opposite in terms of frequency

  • unusual

    describes something that stands out because it is not common

  • exceptional

    something so good or special that it is far from ordinary

Usage Note

Frequently paired with 'become', 'seem', or 'be' to describe broad social patterns or widespread phenomena. More common in formal or written English than in casual conversation.

Common Mistakes

These shoes are commonplace in that shop.
These shoes are common in that shop.
'Commonplace' describes general situations or broad trends, not simple availability of products.
It is commonplace to say hello.
It is common to say hello.
Use 'common' for everyday social habits; 'commonplace' implies the thing is so frequent that it no longer draws attention.

commonplace — noun

Word family

  • commonplaceness
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

The adjective 'commonplace' goes beyond 'ordinary' by emphasising that something is so frequent that nobody finds it special any more. 'Ordinary' describes what is typical or average without this overexposure angle — a meal can be ordinary but not commonplace. 'Run-of-the-mill' is informal and suggests uninspired mediocrity ('a run-of-the-mill hotel room'). 'Unremarkable' focuses purely on the lack of distinguishing features ('an unremarkable performance'). 'Mundane' carries a stronger tone of boring everydayness ('mundane chores like washing dishes'). When you call something 'commonplace', you draw attention to the fact that its sheer frequency has drained it of novelty: "Self-driving cars were once astonishing, but by 2030 they may feel completely commonplace."

ordinary ↗commonplace ↗run-of-the-millunremarkablemundane ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • so commonplace that
  • become commonplace

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Formed by combining 'common' and 'place', based on a translation of the Latin phrase 'locus communis' (a general topic or argument that a speaker could apply to many situations). The Latin term came from the Greek 'koinos topos' (κοινός τόπος), used in ancient rhetoric to mean a widely applicable theme. By the 16th century, English 'commonplace' was used as a noun for a memorable passage entered in a notebook. The modern adjective meaning 'ordinary or unremarkable' developed in the 17th–18th centuries, and by the 19th century the noun had settled into its current sense of a tired, overused remark.