uncommon

adjective

un·​com·​mon ˌən-ˈkä-mən 

1

: not ordinarily encountered : unusual

an uncommon plant

2

: remarkable, exceptional

a soldier of uncommon courage

uncommonly adverb

uncommonness

ˌən-ˈkä-mən-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• aberrant
• aberrated
• abnormal
• anomalous
• atypical
• especial
• exceeding
• exceptional
• extraordinaire
• extraordinary
• freak
• odd
• peculiar
• phenomenal
• preternatural
• rare
• singular
• uncustomary
• unique
• unusual
• unwonted

Choose the Right Synonym for uncommon

infrequent, uncommon, scarce, rare, sporadic mean not common or abundant.

infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time.

infrequent family visits

uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation.

smallpox is now uncommon in many countries

scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance.

jobs were scarce during the Depression

rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value.

rare first editions

sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts.

sporadic cases of influenza

Examples of uncommon in a Sentence

It is not uncommon for people to become depressed after they retire.

an athlete with uncommon ability

a soldier of uncommon courage

She is an uncommon woman.

Recent Examples on the Web

His defense rated oddly poorly last season (-16 defensive runs saved, zero outs above average), but year-to-year aberrations are not uncommon. —Justice Delos Santos, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024

However, pay transparency is still uncommon, as many companies worry that disclosing salaries could trigger a wave of dissatisfaction and complaints among employees. —Kim Elsesser, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Requests for long-ago favorites are not uncommon in Idea Alley, but fulfillment of those requests often is. —Kelly Brant, arkansasonline.com, 5 Nov. 2024

Commentators have noted the importance of this sort of space in a place like India, where, despite a growing number of universities, multidisciplinary institutes are uncommon, and scientific output lags behind those of other large economies. —Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

uncommon

adjective

un·​com·​mon ˌən-ˈkäm-ən 

ˈən-

1

: not ordinarily found or experienced : unusual

not uncommon to catch a cold

2

: extraordinary, remarkable, exceptional

has uncommon ability

uncommonly adverb

uncommonness

-ən-nəs 

noun