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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective typical differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of typical are natural, normal, and regular. While all these words mean "being of the sort or kind that is expected as usual, ordinary, or average," typical implies showing all important traits of a type, class, or group and may suggest lack of strong individuality.

a typical small town

When is it sensible to use natural instead of typical?

While in some cases nearly identical to typical, natural applies to what conforms to a thing's essential nature, function, or mode of being.

the natural love of a mother for her child

When can normal be used instead of typical?

The words normal and typical are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, normal implies lack of deviation from what has been discovered or established as the most usual or expected.

normal behavior for a two-year-old

When would regular be a good substitute for typical?

The words regular and typical can be used in similar contexts, but regular stresses conformity to a rule, standard, or pattern.

the club's regular monthly meeting

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 typical In some ways, this season is more typical than recent years, said Dr. Michelle Barron, senior medical director of infection prevention and control at UCHealth. Meg Wingerter, The Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2025 The show had its typical ending, with all involved looking exhilarated and exhausted on the studio stage. Andrew Dalton, Orlando Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2025 Project:Camp in Los Angeles may look like a typical kid's camp, with everything from arts and crafts to jump rope, but there's more at play. Danya Bacchus, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2025 For this trip, the crew capsule was spun up to 11 revolutions per minute, as opposed to the typical half-revolution per minute. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for typical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for typical
Adjective
  • Warm in the West By early next week most, locations west of the Mississippi River will also warm to much above normal, with temperatures as much as 10 to 25 degrees above average, the Weather Prediction Center said.
    Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Newsweek reached out to the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry for comment via email outside normal business hours.
    Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition to its timeless elegance characteristic of a European chateau, the home is in the exclusive neighborhood of Snedens Landing, which is well known for its rustic seclusion, connection to the arts and proximity to New York City.
    Michael P. McKinney, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2025
  • As of Monday morning, after an unfortunately characteristic several days of posting wildly offensive stuff, the rapper’s account was listed as deactivated.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Related article Tracking measles cases in the United States But the current measles situation in the US is far from average.
    Neha Mukherjee, CNN, 27 Feb. 2025
  • During 2024, the average age of the global fleet rose almost a full 12 months, jumping to 13.4 years from 12.5 in 2023, based on our analysis.
    Oliver Wyman, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Now, scientists may have discovered the potential source of that distinctive coloring, overturning a popular theory in the process.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025
  • The price history reflects the challenges of finding a buyer for such a distinctive property.
    Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • For people who forget or miss the deadline altogether, the standard penalty is 5% of the tax due for every month the return is late, up to 25% of the unpaid balance.
    Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Each new generational WiFi standard evolution claims vast speed and bandwidth improvements.
    Anthony Karcz, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Resisting the label of fusion, Twitty describes the dish as an homage to flavors that highlights the intersections between distinct culinary traditions.
    Danielle Dorsey, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2025
  • This is classic mosaic evolution, where different parts of the anatomy evolve at distinct rates.
    Scott Travers, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • According to the January 29 data, cases of illness were reported in California, Illinois, Massachusetts,, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, In a break from its usual conduct, the CDC has failed to update its tracking webpages to include either outbreak.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025
  • Buffett, 94, the revered investor known as the Oracle of Omaha, was reflective and folksy as usual in his letter, published Saturday, which has come to serve as a gauge of the state of American business.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Some may worry that setting back your thermostats could end up costing more money, based on the common misconception that furnaces work harder to warm a space back up — but experts say that’s not true.
    Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2025
  • First, throughout the world women outperform men in educational settings, outnumbering in the vast majority of academic degrees (including MBAs) and outscoring them on standardized assessments and GPA (same is true for primary and secondary school).
    Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Typical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/typical. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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