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• run-of-the-mill
  run-of-the-mill

  adjective

  merely average; commonplace; mediocre.
• run of the mill
  run of the mill

  Common, ordinary, average: “His performance in the game was neither exemplary nor disastrous; it was simply run of the mill.”

run-of-the-mill

American  

[ruhn-uhv-thuh-mil] / ˈrʌn əv ðəˈmɪl /

adjective

1. merely average; commonplace; mediocre.

   just a plain, run-of-the-mill house; a run-of-the-mill performance.

   Synonyms:

   everyday, routine, ordinary

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run-of-the-mill British  

adjective

1. ordinary, average, or undistinguished in quality, character, or nature; not special or excellent

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run of the mill Cultural  

1. Common, ordinary, average: “His performance in the game was neither exemplary nor disastrous; it was simply run of the mill.”

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run of the mill Idioms  

1. Ordinary, average, as in There's nothing special about these singers—they're just run of the mill. This expression alludes to fabrics coming directly from a mill without having been sorted or inspected for quality. It has survived such similar phrases as run of the mine and run of the kiln, for the products of mines and kilns. [Late 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of run-of-the-mill

First recorded in 1925–30

Explanation

Something run-of-the-mill is average and unexceptional. Nothing unusual happens during a run-of-the-mill day. Originally, this term has to do with material produced by a mill — such as lumber — that had the same size and quality. From there, it came to refer to other things that don't vary. A run-of-the-mill baseball player is ordinary: not great, but not terrible. A run-of-the-mill school grade is C. If something is very good or bad, it's noteworthy and therefore not run-of-the-mill.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

run-of-the-mill run of the mill

At first glance, such posts seem like run-of-the-mill viral content.

From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026

During my first watch, I thought this would be a run-of-the-mill, substandard thriller: Establish the characters, ramp up the obsession, throw a little violence in.

From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2026

One reason for targeting Ashaal could have been run-of-the-mill avarice.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 30, 2026

While most cleans rely on numerous solvents and disinfectants, for run-of-the-mill carpet stains Ben relies on the basics - using either washing powder or liquid and warm water.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2025

But Tyrone and Johnny—they were not your run-of-the-mill eleven-year-olds.

From "Our America: Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago" by LeAlan Jones

Heaven knows what MacKenzie was thinking when he reacted so angrily to a run of the mill exchange with Miller and the defender owes Miovski a huge thank you for bailing him out.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2023

In the season's horrific detour from the run of the mill, only one confusing couple has only survived the what felt like the show's version of "The Hunger Games."

From Salon ● Oct. 18, 2023

The split may be run of the mill for the blingy soccer celebrity industrial complex, but in Rome, the separation has cut into a legend.

From New York Times ● Nov. 7, 2022

Transparency mode is a little more run of the mill but serves its purpose if you need a quick check-in with the outside world.

From The Verge ● Jul. 16, 2022

He was head and shoulders smarter than the run of the mill, and after he’d watched the sun and moon and stars fer a long time he set down and he done some figgerin’.

From "Across Five Aprils" by Irene Hunt

Related Words

• middling
• undistinguished