mundane

adjective

mun·​dane ˌmən-ˈdān How to pronounce mundane (audio)
ˈmən-ˌdān
Synonyms of mundanenext
1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the world
2
: characterized by the practical, transitory, and ordinary : commonplace
the mundane concerns of day-to-day life
mundanely adverb
mundaneness
ˌmən-ˈdān-nəs How to pronounce mundane (audio)
ˈmən-ˌdān-
noun
mundanity
ˌmən-ˈdā-nə-tē How to pronounce mundane (audio)
noun

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for mundane

earthly, worldly, mundane mean belonging to or characteristic of the earth.

earthly often implies a contrast with what is heavenly or spiritual.

abandoned earthly concerns and entered a convent

worldly and mundane both imply a relation to the immediate concerns and activities of human beings, worldly suggesting tangible personal gain or gratification

worldly goods

and mundane suggesting reference to the immediate and practical.

a mundane discussion of finances

Examples of mundane in a Sentence

On him, a mundane navy blazer looked like an Armani dinner jacket; around him, a dusky locker room became the chandeliered lobby of the Savoy. — Curry Kirkpatrick, ESPN, 19 Mar. 2001
How did our ancestors pass from the mundane activity of counting to the concept of 'number' in the abstract, devoid of any particular collection of objects to label? — John D. Barrow, Pi in the Sky, 1992
They decided on buttock tattoos, rather than the more mundane engagement ring, because a tattoo is permanent. You can always pawn a ring. — Mike Royko, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 1988
The day began with the mundane business of getting my white chiffon dress shortened … — Lady Bird Johnson, January 14, 1964, in A White House Diary,  1970
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
To this end, experiences and interactions feel generic and mundane rather than novel and individualistic. — Ab Gaur, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025 The real big numbers on the expense side of the ledger is the mundane concrete and steel civil engineering needed to house the nuclear tech and the electrical gear that make up over half the budget. — David Szondy august 04, New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2025 His show is a collection of three stories that, like national parks themselves, are beautiful and harrowing and, in ways both mundane and profound, remind us how big the world is. — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 2 Aug. 2025 Amid a global pandemic, its slice-of-life portrayal of a suburban Texas neighborhood felt nourishing, a vicarious experience of the mundane dailiness that COVID had yanked away. — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mundane

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mondeyne, from Anglo-French mundain, from Late Latin mundanus, from Latin mundus world

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mundane was in the 15th century

Rhymes for mundane

See All Rhymes for mundane

Browse Nearby Words

Munda
mundane
mundane astrology
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mundane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mundane. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

mundane

adjective
mun·​dane ˌmən-ˈdān How to pronounce mundane (audio)
ˈmən-ˌdān
1
: of or relating to the world : worldly
2
: having to do with the practical details of everyday life
mundanely adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on mundane

Nglish: Translation of mundane for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Hypercorrections: Are you making these 6 common mistakes?

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Using Bullet Points ( • )

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

12 Words Whose History Will Surprise You

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
retro style illustration of a tv with shapes and lightening bolts coming from the screen
Pop Culture Vocab Quiz “Embiggen,” “regift,” “friend zone” a...
See All