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

That's according to new research from the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) which found that the uncommon size and lack of restrictions of Scott's charitable gifts have not only helped those nonprofits become more financially stable but has enabled them to increase the scope of their impact. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 19 Feb. 2025

City finance officials said that structure is not uncommon and would help smooth out the overall debt load for taxpayers. —Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025

But the United States’ fragmented health care system complicates detection of uncommon side effects and has provided little clarity on the range of symptoms people might have experienced after a Covid shot. —Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025

One of the animals is black, or melanistic — an uncommon trait caused by recessive genes, which is estimated to be present in about 1 in 10 leopards, according to Britannica. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 18 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for uncommon

• aman
• brahman
• brahmin
• common
• lawman

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