garden-variety

adjective

ˈgär-dᵊn-və-ˈrī-ə-tē How to pronounce garden-variety (audio)
Definition of garden-varietynext
1
as in normal
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events the once-powerful hurricane eventually abated into just a garden-variety tropical storm

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in usual
often observed or encountered the bakery's extravagant creations are not your garden-variety wedding cakes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 garden-variety But peppered in between the back-and-forth comments with garden-variety Internet trolls are criticisms of his onetime colleagues. — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026 Maybe this design is a percentage point or two more efficient than a garden-variety turbo-four. — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 22 Apr. 2026 All of which might be dismissed as garden-variety conspiracy, not to mention being beyond the organizational capacity of the Democratic Party. — Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026 This will not be your garden-variety sports labor dispute. — Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for garden-variety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for garden-variety
  1. normal
  2. usual
  3. ordinary
  4. ubiquitous
  5. typical
  6. common
  7. average
  8. familiar
Adjective
  • The prototype was tested on one construction worker during normal activities, including movement, breaks, drinking water and eating.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • In a normal year, most MLB teams would already be looking toward next year at this point in the season, as only a few teams remain alive.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • The products were Park Hyatt’s usual—delicious-smelling La Labo toiletries.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • There’s deals on makeup, too, like the Ilia Limitless Mascara at 20% off for just $23 compared to its usual $30.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of usual
Adjective
  • Withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income, and early withdrawals may face penalties unless they’re used for qualifying expenses such as education or a first home, so families should review the tax rules before deciding how to use the money.
    — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The filmmakers bill it as a film less about cracking a murder than about the ordinary days that come after a devastating loss.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of ordinary
Adjective
  • The game show is based around those ubiquitous internet verification tests that check if the visitor to a website is human or a bot.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
  • But in an age where AI-assisted writing is becoming increasingly ubiquitous, the distinctly unpolished text has its own charm.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of ubiquitous
Adjective
  • Between 50 and 60 visitors will make the trek out there on a typical day, according to David Boyd, public information officer for the White River National Forest.
    — The Aspen Times, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The distillery expanded into wood finishing with the launch of Maker’s 46 in 2010, but this wasn’t your typical cask-finished whiskey.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of typical
Adjective
  • Why data centers became a bipartisan enemy Data centers have become the common enemy of Democrats and Republicans alike.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Infighting remains common among the factions, and there is still no clear political end state.
    — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of common
Adjective
  • The party has an average 8-point lead in generic congressional ballot polling, according to RealClearPolitics.
    — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Her special talent was to make historic gardening techniques and designs accessible for the average gardener, championing the potager—which combines flowers with useful, edible plants—and creating gardens for Elton John and the then Prince of Wales.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of average
Adjective
  • The New York Yankees face an all-too-familiar 2-0 deficit in the postseason, largely due to an all-too-familiar mind-numbing facet of the team.
    — Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The 1,800-square-foot layout was configured to work harder without sacrificing familiar sight lines.
    — Kristen Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of familiar

Browse Nearby Words

gardens
garden-variety
garderobe
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Cite this Entry

“Garden-variety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/garden-variety. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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