normalcy

American  

[nawr-muhl-see] / ˈnɔr məl si /

noun

1. the quality or condition of being normal, as the general economic, political, and social conditions of a nation; normality.

   After months of living in a state of tension, all yearned for a return to normalcy.

---

normalcy Cultural  

1. A word used by President Warren Harding to describe the calm political and social order to which he wished to return the United States after the idealism and commotion of the presidency of Woodrow Wilson.

---

Discover More

Normalcy has been used as a general term for the political climate in the United States in the early 1920s.

Etymology

Origin of normalcy

First recorded in 1855–60; normal + -cy

Compare meaning

How does normalcy compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• normalcy vs. normality

Example Sentences

When I asked the Vermont Independent what could be done to return to some semblance of normalcy, he seemed testy, waved his hands and said, “We’re doing the best we can.”

From Salon

"Peace will depend on whether that authority is used to rebuild trust across communities rather than simply restoring administrative normalcy," says Phanjoubam, the Imphal-based editor.

From BBC

A patch of normalcy in the midst of misery, the way a flower can grow in cracked asphalt.

From Literature

I’m grateful for this tiny bit of normalcy.

From Literature

Low temperatures across the U.S. are making it difficult to return to normalcy, Nastro said, though airlines are working hard to get displaced passengers where they need to go.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• normality
• ordinariness
• uniformity