prosaic

adjective

prō-ˈzā-ik How to pronounce prosaic (audio)
Definition of prosaicnext
1
as in ordinary
being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events an author with a knack for finding something of interest in the most prosaic details of suburban life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mundane
having to do with the practical details of regular life my job at the TV station dealt with the much more prosaic business of cleaning the floors

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 prosaic Meek, a 10-year-old Black girl, is grappling with her fears of nuclear Armageddon as more prosaic domestic concerns kick into high gear. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 In 2024 this broad ethic of democracy came into conflict with a more prosaic politic. — Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 15 June 2026 The unique features hide a center touchscreen the way an architect’s home keeps prosaic televisions out of sight. — Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 12 June 2026 At this point, Vile seems less like a confessional singer-songwriter than a cartographer of the mind, mapping the ways that our thoughts can wander from prosaic to profound and back again. — Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for prosaic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prosaic
  1. ordinary
  2. mundane
  3. normal
  4. usual
  5. typical
  6. commonplace
  7. average
Adjective
  • Audiences embraced the films for their creeping realism and slow-building scares, which transformed ordinary bedrooms, hallways and home security cameras into places where something terrifying might be lurking just outside the frame.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The new measure comes as Moscow and Kyiv ramp up their air campaigns, with Ukrainian strikes deep into Russian territory sparking fuel shortages and bringing the war closer to home for ordinary Russians.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of ordinary
Adjective
  • More empowerment, fewer mundane tasks What Smolnikov describes is a reduction of routine tasks related to translation and market adaptation.
    — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The movie is wondrously attuned to the mundane, to the absurd humor and gentle devastation that lives in the everyday — and in so much of his work.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of mundane
Adjective
  • Although Edouard is not forecast to become a hurricane, the hurricane center has warned coastal residents to closely monitor the forecast as the storm is in an area of warmer than normal water and low wind shear, which favor strengthening.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • That change was introduced to help give club staff working across transfer departments a more normal working pattern.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • Immediately, Zack-Carlos goes back to reasserting his presence in the house, eager to stay as long as possible and be his usual insufferable self.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For cats that need a larger calorie reduction, Yeo said a veterinary weight-management diet may be safer than simply serving much less of their usual food because it is formulated to provide adequate nutrients with fewer calories.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of usual
Adjective
  • Netflix has worked assiduously to burnish its reputation as a home for advertisers seeking to align themselves with its popular programs and eager to avoid the traditional model of deploying typical 30-second commercials.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
  • However, this gets an all-new rear suspension with leaf springs; that setup allows for a greater payload than a typical torsion beam axle.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of typical
Adjective
  • As anywhere in the United States, crashes are more commonplace during rush hour; there are simply more drivers on the road, and many are tired.
    — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • YouTube has long topped Nielsen's streaming viewership list, and deals that see more of traditional media's content embedded into the tech platform could become more commonplace.
    — Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of commonplace
Adjective
  • Across this period, there has been a strong correlation between higher average possession and points per game.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The required earnings amount is adjusted annually to reflect changes in average wages, so the threshold generally rises over time.
    — Miranda Marquit, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of average

Browse Nearby Words

pros
prosaic
prosaist
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Prosaic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prosaic. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
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?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All