Definitions

no great shakes

ADJECTIVE

garden-variety

Synonyms

WEAK

average characterless common commonplace conventional cut-and-dried dull fair familiar formulaic garden generic habitual homespun household humble indifferent inferior mean mediocre modest normal p

ADJECTIVE

mediocre

Synonyms

STRONGEST

decent dull inferior middling ordinary second-rate so-so undistinguished uninspired

WEAK

characterless colorless common conventional fair fair to middling fairish humdrum indifferent insignificant intermediate mainstream mean medium mid moderate of poor quality passable pedestrian run-of-the-mill standard tolerable unexceptional vanilla

Antonyms

STRONGEST

different excellent exceptional extraordinary first-rate superior

WEAK

unusual

ADJECTIVE

ordinary

Synonyms

STRONGEST

common conventional dull generic humble mediocre normal plain simple unremarkable workaday

STRONG

commonplace fair familiar garden homespun household inferior mean pedestrian plastic routine vanilla

WEAK

characterless garden variety habitual indifferent modest prosaic quotidian run-of-the-mill second-rate so-so stereotyped undistinguished uneventful unexceptional uninspired unmemorable unnoteworthy unpretentious usual white-bread

Antonyms

STRONGEST

abnormal complex complicated decorated difficult embellished extraordinary intelligent intricate irregular ornate smart sophisticated strange superior unclear uncommon unconventional unusual

STRONG

different exceptional

WEAK

distinctive remarkable special

ADJECTIVE

undistinguished

Synonyms

STRONGEST

generic mediocre prosaic so-so uneventful uninspired unremarkable

WEAK

average characterless common commonplace dull everyday fair garden-variety mean modest normal nothing special nothing to write home about pedestrian plain routine run-of-the-mill second-rate typical unexceptional unexciting unmemorable unnoteworthy usual

Antonyms

STRONGEST

creative exceptional extraordinary

ADJECTIVE

unexceptional

Synonyms

STRONGEST

mediocre prosaic so-so unremarkable

WEAK

average characterless common commonplace conventional dull everyday fair garden-variety insignificant modest normal nothing special nothing to write home about pedestrian plain routine run-of-the-mill second-rate typical undistinguished uneventful unexciting unimpressive uninspired unmemorable unnoteworthy usual

Antonyms

STRONGEST

exceptional

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.

Its overall handling of mental illness is no great shakes either.

From Los Angeles Times

Their two previous quarterfinal duels at Roland Garros were actually no great shakes.

From New York Times

A third of the way in, we’ve already seen Kong use sign language, shower and scratch himself; Godzilla lay waste to a swath of Pensacola, Fla.; and the two wage a slugfest at sea, with Godzilla’s tail slicing through ships and Kong, no great shakes as a swimmer, struggling mightily out of his element.

From New York Times

It could be described as no great shakes.

From Washington Post

We do know that close-ups on nibbled waterlogged corpses are no great shakes these days, and we encounter them in the premiere of "Clarice" . . . but not before flashbacks showing Buffalo Bill sewing what is supposed to be the lotioned skin of his victims.

From Salon

no great shakes

Example Sentences

Related Words