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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

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

Thanks to Mr. Bookbinder, the fiction that these are run-of-the-mill state-law cases has been exposed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2025

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 they didn’t want to just make a run-of-the-mill sports show.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 30, 2025

The town we all live in is pretty run-of-the-mill.

From "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak

Related Words

• middling
• undistinguished