Common and Ordinary

Common

Common adjective - Often observed or encountered.
Usage example: horse ranches are a common sight in that part of the state

Ordinary is a synonym for common in usual topic. In some cases you can use "Ordinary" instead the word "Common" as an adjective or a noun, when it comes to topics like characteristic, quality, good, average. popular alternative

Ordinary

Ordinary adjective - Being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events.
Usage example: it was a perfectly ordinary and undistinguished shirt

Common is a synonym for ordinary in usual topic. You can use "Common" instead the word "Ordinary" as an adjective or a noun, if it concerns topics such as average, characteristic, quality, property. popular alternative

Both words in one sentence

  • Failed a Spot Check Because things like searching for hidden objects/doors/clues, "noticing what's going on out of the ordinary" or good old ambushes are all very common events in most RPG games, Spot Checks tend to be among, if not THE most common die rolls being done.
  • Their names are just so ordinary and common that it really sticks out.
  • Fifty years ago, even more people talked like that, and whilst the common soldier would sound far more ordinary, the top brass would be more likely to be made up of the upper classes.
Cite this Source
Ordinary and Common. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/common/ordinary
Common & Ordinary. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/common/ordinary>.
Ordinary or Common. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/common/ordinary.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "common" and "ordinary" have occurred on timeline