Definitions

no great shakes

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garden-variety adj.
mediocre adj.
ordinary adj.
undistinguished adj.
unexceptional adj.

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.

See Examples For:

no great shakes

Haiti were no great shakes but they were getting on top.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2023

Inheriting a floundering Rainbow program, he turned it around to go 18-11 his last two years with a high-flying offense, though the Hawaii defense was no great shakes.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 14, 2020

Griff stole their desserts on multiple occasions—swiped from trays with a grin—even if the desserts in question were no great shakes; it was the principle.

From The New Yorker ● Mar. 25, 2019

Though ultimately no great shakes, the projects were proposed and illustrated with such enthusiasm that even the most hardened ten-year-old could be tricked into believing he was in for some serious fun.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

no great shakes

Example Sentences

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