mediocre
Americanadjective
-
of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad; barely adequate.
The car gets only mediocre mileage, but it's fun to drive.
- Synonyms:
- run-of-the-mill, everyday, pedestrian, commonplace, undistinguished
- Antonyms:
- incomparable, uncommon, superior, extraordinary
-
not satisfactory; poor; inferior.
Mediocre construction makes that building dangerous.
- Synonyms:
- so-so, second-rate, low-quality, meager
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of mediocre
First recorded in 1580–90; from Middle French, from Latin mediocris “in a middle state,” literally, “at middle height,” equivalent to medi(us) “center, middle” + Old Latin ocris “rugged mountain,” cognate with Greek ókris, akin to ákros “apex”; compare Umbrian ocar “hill, citadel”; see origin at mid 1
Explanation
Mediocre is an adjective that means "merely adequate" or "of only ordinary quality." A "C" is a mediocre grade for students who are fair to middling. The roots of the adjective mediocre are from the Latin medial, "middle," and ocris, "mountain." If you think about it, the middle of a mountain is neither up nor down and neither here nor there — just somewhere in between. The definition of mediocre is "of ordinary quality," "merely adequate," and "average." Another word that shares the same root is mediocracy, which means "government run by mediocre people" — an all-too-common condition.
Vocabulary lists containing mediocre
List 6
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National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 2
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Essential English Vocabulary, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They’re pruning good investors who had a down year and keeping mediocre ones who got lucky.
From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026
Incidentally, the Thunder have been so good that they’ve endured three mediocre games by reigning MVP SGA and are still probably going to sweep this series.
From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026
Whatever class of film I believed I’d be getting after watching other mediocre Tubi Originals in the past, I was so very wrong about.
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
To do so, I stay away from bistros in fancy neighborhoods, which charge too much and often cook up mediocre food.
From Barron's • Mar. 8, 2026
Berg had been a mediocre ballplayer at best, hitting .243 over fifteen big league seasons as a backup catcher.
From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
