Common (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public; "for the common good"; "common lands are set aside for use by all members of a community".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The village square is a common area where people gather for celebrations and meetings.
- In some cultures, certain areas of land are considered common and can be used by anyone in the community for farming or grazing.
- The library is a common resource that serves the entire city.
- Common interests unite the community, even in the face of disagreement on specific issues.
- Many medieval towns had common ovens that residents could use for a small fee to bake their daily bread.
Antonyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
Commonly encountered; "a common (or familiar) complaint"; "the usual greeting".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 3
Lacking refinement or cultivation or taste; "he had coarse manners but a first-rate mind"; "behavior that branded him as common"; "an untutored and uncouth human being"; "an uncouth soldier--a real tough guy"; "appealing to the vulgar taste for violence"; "the vulgar display of the newly rich".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 4
Having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual; "the common man"; "a common sailor"; "the common cold"; "a common nuisance"; "followed common procedure"; "it is common knowledge that she lives alone"; "the common housefly"; "a common brand of soap".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Antonyms
Related Words
Meaning 5
Being or characteristic of or appropriate to everyday language; "common parlance"; "a vernacular term"; "vernacular speakers"; "the vulgar tongue of the masses"; "the technical and vulgar names for an animal species".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 6
Common to or shared by two or more parties; "a common friend"; "the mutual interests of management and labor".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The company's goal was to find common ground with the union and negotiate a fair contract.
- The two families had a common interest in hiking and often went on trips together.
- The mutual fund was a common investment for many retirees who sought a low-risk portfolio.
- The neighborhood park was a common area where kids from different streets played together.
- The couple had a common goal of starting their own business and worked together to make it happen.
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Meaning 7
Of or associated with the great masses of people; "the common people in those days suffered greatly"; "behavior that branded him as common"; "his square plebeian nose"; "a vulgar and objectionable person"; "the unwashed masses".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 8
Of low or inferior quality or value; "of what coarse metal ye are molded"- Shakespeare; "produced...the common cloths used by the poorer population".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The tourists stayed at a common motel that catered to people on a tight budget.
- He dressed in the common garb of the laborer, but was secretly a millionaire.
- She considered his cooking to be of a rather common quality, not exactly gourmet fare.
- The film critics dismissed the new release as a common romance, predictable and uninspired.
- They felt they deserved something more sophisticated, but all they got was the common man's bread.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 9
To be expected; standard; "common decency".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- It's common courtesy to hold the door open for someone behind you.
- In many cultures, it's considered common sense to respect your elders.
- The company's common practice is to promote from within whenever possible.
- It's common knowledge that smoking is bad for your health.
- The judge appealed to the jury's common decency in making their decision.