Common and Special

Common

Common adjective - Held by or applicable to a majority of the people.
Usage example: a politician who works not for the special interests but for the common good

Special is an antonym for common in specific topic.

Special

Special adjective - Being the one or ones of a class with no other members.

Common is an antonym for special in topics: exceptional, distinguished, general.

Both words in one sentence

  • For some reason, it's common for badges to be depicted as either giving special abilities to or augmenting the special abilities of the wearer.
  • Special thanks is a a common phenomenon when people not directly involved making the film, video game etc.
  • Everyone Has A Special Move This is common in many real-time strategy games; in Warcraft III, for instance, nearly every unit has either a unique special ability, or an upgrade that applies only to it.
Cite this Source
Special and Common. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/common/special
Common & Special. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/common/special>.
Special or Common. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/common/special.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "common" and "special" have occurred on timeline