extraordinary

Something extraordinary goes above and beyond what is expected. This can be good or bad. Saving a child from a burning building is an extraordinary act of heroism, but a test score of 11 out of 100 is extraordinary too.

The extra- in extraordinary means "outside" the ordinary. If you had to work for 10 hours on a two-page writing assignment, that means it was an extraordinarily hard assignment. Either that or you were extraordinarily slow. We often use the word extraordinary as a superlative. If your friend bakes you a cake better than any you’ve ever tasted, you could tell her it is “extraordinary.”

Definitions of extraordinary
  1. adjective
    beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable
    “extraordinary authority”
    “an extraordinary achievement”
    “her extraordinary beauty”
    “enjoyed extraordinary popularity”
    “an extraordinary capacity for work”
    “an extraordinary session of the legislature”
    Synonyms:
    uncommon
    not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind
    unusual
    not usual or common or ordinary
    incomparable, uncomparable
    such that comparison is impossible; unsuitable for comparison or lacking features that can be compared
    impressive
    making a strong or vivid impression
    bonzer
    remarkable or wonderful
    exceeding, exceptional, olympian, prodigious, surpassing
    far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree
    extraordinaire
    extraordinary in a particular capacity
    fantastic, grand, howling, marvellous, marvelous, rattling, terrific, tremendous, wonderful, wondrous
    extraordinarily good or great ; used especially as intensifiers
    phenomenal
    exceedingly or unbelievably great
    awful, frightful, terrible, tremendous
    extreme in degree or extent or amount or impact
    great
    remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect
    one
    used informally as an intensifier
    preternatural, uncanny
    surpassing the ordinary or normal
    pyrotechnic
    suggestive of fireworks
    rare, uncommon
    marked by an uncommon quality; especially superlative or extreme of its kind
    remarkable, singular
    unusual or striking
    some
    remarkable
    special
    for a special service or occasion
    wonderworking
    performing or able to perform wonders or miracles
    superior
    of high or superior quality or performance
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    Antonyms:
    ordinary
    not exceptional in any way especially in quality or ability or size or degree
    common
    having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual
    usual
    occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
    average, fair, mediocre, middling
    lacking exceptional quality or ability
    banausic
    (formal) ordinary and not refined
    characterless, nondescript
    lacking distinct or individual characteristics; dull and uninteresting
    common
    to be expected; standard
    commonplace
    completely ordinary and unremarkable
    cut-and-dried, cut-and-dry
    according to ordinary expectations
    everyday, mundane, quotidian, routine, unremarkable, workaday
    found in the ordinary course of events
    indifferent, so-so
    being neither good nor bad
    mine run, run-of-the-mill, run-of-the-mine, unexceptional
    not special in any way
    show more antonyms...
  2. adjective
    far more than usual or expected
    “an extraordinary desire for approval”
    synonyms: over-the-top, sinful
    immoderate
    beyond reasonable limits
  3. adjective
    (of an official) serving an unusual or special function in addition to those of the regular officials
    “an ambassador extraordinary”
    Synonyms:
    unusual
    not usual or common or ordinary
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