out of the ordinary

Idioms  

1. Unusual, uncommon, exceptional, as in The venison they served was certainly out of the ordinary. This expression sometimes, but not always, indicates that something is better than the usual. However, the negative version, nothing out of the ordinary, usually indicates that something is not special or outstanding, as in It was an interesting lecture, but nothing out of the ordinary.

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Example Sentences

A 10% drop isn’t anything out of the ordinary for AppLovin, which has been one of the most volatile large-cap stocks on the market in recent months.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

The number of cases seen in the area is not out of the ordinary for such outbreaks, which have been occurring reasonably frequently since late 2023.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

The two have not talked since the report was published Wednesday, but that’s not out of the ordinary, James attested.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2026

From uncool to mainstream isn’t so out of the ordinary.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 18, 2026

They had had the usual bouts with childhood illness, including the recent scarlet fever, but nothing out of the ordinary.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman