mediocrity

noun

Definition of mediocritynext
1
as in normality
the quality or state of being mediocre She's a perfectionist who refuses to settle for mediocrity.

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2
as in nothing
a person of little fame He surrounded himself with mediocrities to appear more notable by comparison.

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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 mediocrity Fauci, 85, truly one of humanity’s great public health heroes, will be lionized in history long after mediocrities like Paul, Uthmeier and Scott have been relegated to footnotes. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026 The Red Sox are surging, revitalizing their entire 2026 season from mediocrity to find themselves in an American League Wild Card position at the moment, while only five games back of the AL East lead. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2026 When Cuban bought the Mavericks in 2000 for $285 million, the team was mired in mediocrity and playing in front of half-empty arenas. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 31 July 2026 The first half of the season was a slog of mediocrity and keeping disgruntled players on board. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for mediocrity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mediocrity
  1. normality
  2. nothing
  3. averageness
  4. obscurity
  5. acceptability
  6. inferior
  7. badness
  8. insect
Noun
  • By the time the world returned to relative normality, her priorities had shifted.
    — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But coming out of a pandemic that had robbed players of normality, a few days extra at the best tournaments felt doable, given the financial payoff.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of normality
Noun
  • While CinemaCon 2026 brought us exciting news about new films, it was also bogged down with status quo nothings about how Amazon MGM still hasn’t found a new James Bond.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
  • When Dana, who, like Virginia, had been successful in writing pleasant but undistinguished nothings—in her case, songs for Billy Rose’s revues—decided to try taking on more serious music by studying with Boulanger, Virginia entered a deep downward spiral.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Definition of nothing
Noun
  • But that is just one expression of its structural bias toward familiarity and averageness.
    — Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
  • Joe, who was selected because of his averageness, turns out to be the smartest person on Earth in the future and lands a job working for President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho (Terry Crews).
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 22 Apr. 2026
Definition of averageness
Noun
  • Some of the coverage may be ugly and unfair, but isn’t obscurity worse?
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Ketchup Entertainment later acquired the film for $50 million, saving it from obscurity.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscurity
Noun
  • Today, everyone from the Economist to the New York Times has heralded the coming psychedelics renaissance, as hallucinogens begin to gain greater cultural, medical and commercial acceptability.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 July 2026
  • The rate has been gradually dropping for decades, due to cigarette taxes, tobacco product price hikes, smoking bans, public education campaigns and changes in the social acceptability of lighting up in public.
    — Mike Stobbe, Fortune, 29 May 2026
Definition of acceptability
Noun
  • That comes to the Philippines in the form of war, as well as through the invocation, or establishment, of American-style modes of government and education that place Filipinos along this racial hierarchy, identifying them as these inferiors that need to be taught how to govern themselves.
    — Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Definition of inferior
Noun
  • On one side, a satanic figure named Randall Flagg who gathers his forces of badness to Las Vegas; on the other, the good guys, led by 108-year-old Mother Abigail in, of all places, Boulder.
    — Barbara Ellis, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
  • The show premiered over Thanksgiving weekend, when people were tired and full and bored (and probably also horny), and countered our world’s unceasing badness with its world’s buoyant sweetness.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Definition of badness
Noun
  • Some of the most popular forms include peppermint oil diffusers, skin and hair care products, non-toxic insect and vermin repellants, natural cleaning products, dietary supplements and pure essential oil.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Few countries have felt the force of the insect’s impact quite like South Africa.
    — Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of insect

Browse Nearby Words

mediocrities
mediocrity
meditate
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Cite this Entry

“Mediocrity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mediocrity. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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