Run-of-the-mill — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˌrən-ə(v)-t͟hə-ˈmil/

Meaning & Definition of Run-of-the-mill

Run-of-the-mill (adjective)

  1. not outstanding in quality or rarity, average, ordinary

Run-of-the-mill (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events

    "just another run-of-the-mill suburb with its shopping malls and fast-food restaurants"

    similar: average, common, commonplace, cut-and-dried, everyday, garden-variety, normal, ordinary, prosaic, routine, standard, standard-issue, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, workaday, par for the course
    related: regular, typical, unextraordinary, familiar, homely, plain, plain-Jane, popular, vulgar, natural, customary, wonted, insignificant, trivial, unimportant, frequent, habitual, expected, predictable
    opposite: abnormal, exceptional, extraordinary, odd, out-of-the-way, strange, unusual
    near: curious, funny, peculiar, quaint, queer, aberrant, anomalous, atypical, irregular, untypical, rare, recherché, scarce, fantastic, phenomenal, bizarre, far-out, Kafkaesque, outrageous, outré, wacky, way-out, weird, wild, eccentric, idiosyncratic, kooky, nonconformist, oddball, offbeat, unconventional, unorthodox, freak, freakish, conspicuous, notable, novel, outstanding, prominent, salient, signal, striking, unexampled, unprecedented, singular, unique, unparalleled

  2. of average to below average quality

    "his latest offering is rather run-of-the-mill for this usually excellent novelist"

    similar: common, fair, indifferent, mediocre, medium, middling, ordinary, passable, run-of-the-mine, second-class, second-rate, so-so
    related: acceptable, adequate, all right, alright, decent, OK, reasonable, satisfactory, sufficient, sufficing, tolerable, moderate, modest, presentable, respectable, minimal, unexceptional, fine, good, nice
    near: A1, capital, choice, classic, distinguished, excellent, exceptional, exquisite, fabulous, fantastic, first-class, first-rate, grand, great, marvelous, matchless, maximum, nifty, number one, optimal, optimum, outstanding, par excellence, peerless, preeminent, prime, sensational, special, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supreme, swell, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, unmatched, unparalleled, unsurpassed, deficient, inadequate, insufficient, lacking, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, wanting

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Run-of-the-mill

The most common words with a similar meaning to Run-of-the-mill:

average, common, commonplace, cut-and-dried, everyday, garden-variety, normal, ordinary, prosaic, routine, standard, standard-issue, unexceptional, unremarkable, usual, workaday, fair, indifferent, mediocre, medium, middling, passable, run-of-the-mine, second-class, second-rate, so-so, par for the course

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Run-of-the-mill

Words with the opposite meaning of Run-of-the-mill:

abnormal, exceptional, extraordinary, odd, out-of-the-way, strange, unusual

Related Words for Run-of-the-mill

regular, typical, unextraordinary, familiar, homely, plain, plain-Jane, popular, vulgar, natural, customary, wonted, insignificant, trivial, unimportant, frequent, habitual, expected, predictable, acceptable, adequate, all right, alright, decent, OK, reasonable, satisfactory, sufficient, sufficing, tolerable

Near Antonyms of Run-of-the-mill

curious, funny, peculiar, quaint, queer, aberrant, anomalous, atypical, irregular, untypical, rare, recherché, scarce, fantastic, phenomenal, bizarre, far-out, Kafkaesque, outrageous, outré, wacky, way-out, weird, wild, eccentric, idiosyncratic, kooky, nonconformist, oddball, offbeat

Origin & Etymology of Run-of-the-mill

First known use: 1919

Frequently Asked Questions about Run-of-the-mill

What does "Run-of-the-mill" mean?

"Run-of-the-mill" means not outstanding in quality or rarity, average, ordinary. As an adjective, it is defined as: not outstanding in quality or rarity, average, ordinary. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Run-of-the-mill"?

Other words for "Run-of-the-mill" include average, common, commonplace, cut-and-dried, everyday, garden-variety, normal and ordinary. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Run-of-the-mill" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Run-of-the-mill"?

There are 65 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Run-of-the-mill". Common alternatives include average, common, commonplace, cut-and-dried, everyday, garden-variety, normal, ordinary, prosaic and routine.

What is the opposite of "Run-of-the-mill"?

Antonyms of "Run-of-the-mill" include abnormal, exceptional, extraordinary, odd, out-of-the-way, strange and unusual. Near antonyms include curious, funny, peculiar and quaint.

How do you use "Run-of-the-mill" in a sentence?

Examples of "Run-of-the-mill" in a sentence: "just another run-of-the-mill suburb with its shopping malls and fast-food restaurants"; "his latest offering is rather run-of-the-mill for this usually excellent novelist".

Is "Run-of-the-mill" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Run-of-the-mill" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Run-of-the-mill"?

"Run-of-the-mill" is pronounced /ˌrən-ə(v)-t͟hə-ˈmil/.

What is the origin of the word "Run-of-the-mill"?

First known use: 1919.