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

See Examples For:

out of the ordinary

Cash gifts of more than $1,000 are not out of the ordinary for Weiss to give close family or friends.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026

“In content writing and digital marketing, a phone is not out of the ordinary, because those roles are based on remote tools,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

The decline was "out of the ordinary," geographer and report coordinator Ane Alencar told reporters.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

Chait — who will give his first “state of the district” address on Tuesday — said in a statement that parents would see nothing out of the ordinary when schools open in the fall.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

I turn, searching them with her, listening for anything out of the ordinary.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir