Mediocrity
noun
The state or quality of being average or not very good.
He was disappointed with the team's mediocrity in the last season.
Often appears as...
- descend into mediocrity
- accept mediocrity
noun
An average or not very good person.
He considered himself a mediocrity in his field of study
Often appears as...
- confirmed mediocrity
- uninspiring mediocrity
noun
The state or quality of being average or not very good.
He was disappointed with the team's mediocrity in the last season.
Often appears as...
- descend into mediocrity
- accept mediocrity
noun
An average or not very good person.
He considered himself a mediocrity in his field of study
Often appears as...
- confirmed mediocrity
- uninspiring mediocrity
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Using 'mediocrity' implies disappointment or lack of excellence.
Despite his efforts, he couldn't escape mediocrity.
Pro Tip 2/3Not The Worst
'Mediocrity' suggests being in the middle, not being the worst possible.
The service at the restaurant was mediocrity itself, neither great nor terrible.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Humility
In some cultures, 'mediocrity' is a harsh criticism for not striving to improve.
In our company, we don't settle for mediocrity; we always aim higher.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Using 'mediocrity' implies disappointment or lack of excellence.
Despite his efforts, he couldn't escape mediocrity.
Pro Tip 2/3Not The Worst
'Mediocrity' suggests being in the middle, not being the worst possible.
The service at the restaurant was mediocrity itself, neither great nor terrible.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Humility
In some cultures, 'mediocrity' is a harsh criticism for not striving to improve.
In our company, we don't settle for mediocrity; we always aim higher.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Using 'mediocrity' implies disappointment or lack of excellence.
Despite his efforts, he couldn't escape mediocrity.
Pro Tip 2/3Not The Worst
'Mediocrity' suggests being in the middle, not being the worst possible.
The service at the restaurant was mediocrity itself, neither great nor terrible.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Humility
In some cultures, 'mediocrity' is a harsh criticism for not striving to improve.
In our company, we don't settle for mediocrity; we always aim higher.
Compare with
commonplacedistinguishexceptionalimpressiveindifferentinferiorityordinarypedestrian
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Video examples
What we learned from 5...
all the queries right the people want to be their best put their best foot forward but it turns out in the 18th century before we didn't really care about that at all they didn't want to be their best they want to be their best so what happens is of course this is just a mistake right it's not that they strive for mediocrity is just that the earth used to be written differently well kind
Video examples
What we learned from 5...
and this is really the best of all the queries. So people want to be their best, put their best foot forward. But it turns out in the 18th century, people didn't really care about that at all. They didn't want to be their best, they wanted to be their beft. So what happened is, of course, this is just a mistake. It's not that strove for mediocrity,
Video examples
Why does the universe...
there are nasty bits and nice bits and we could make the nice bits bigger and the nasty bits smaller and that gives us a kind of purpose in life. The universe is absurd, but we can still construct a purpose, and that's a pretty good one, and the overall mediocrity of reality
Video examples
Creativity is a remix PIPE...
I think this is mostly what we do. Our creativity comes from without, not from within. We are not self-made. We are dependent on one another, and admitting this to ourselves isn't an embrace of mediocrity and derivativeness. It's a liberation from our misconceptions,
Video examples
Andreas Schleicher: Use...
where performance is poor and there are large social disparities. And then we can debate, you know, is it better to be there, where performance is strong at the price of large disparities? Or do we want to focus on equity and accept mediocrity?
Video examples
David Brooks: Should you...
who treats life as a game, and you become a cold, calculating creature who slips into a sort of mediocrity where you realize there's a difference between your desired self and your actual self. You're not earning the sort of eulogy you want,
Video examples
Embrace the remix -...
within we are not self-made we are dependent on one another and omitting this to ourselves isn't an embrace of mediocrity and derivative miss it's a liberation from our misconceptions and it's an incentive to not expect so much from
Video examples
Barry Schwartz: Our loss...
We don't trust the judgment of teachers enough to let them loose on their own. Scripts like these are insurance policies against disaster. And they prevent disaster. But what they assure in its place is mediocrity.
Video examples
Bridges should be...
it will always be ugly or dull. Bridges -- beauty enriches life. Doesn't it? It enhances our well-being. Ugliness and mediocrity does exactly the opposite.
Video examples
David Pogue: Simplicity...
I'm not doing this for praise. I write the code that fits the world today. Big mediocrity in every way. We've entered planet domination mode.
Video examples
What we learned from 5...
all the queries right the people want to be their best put their best foot forward but it turns out in the 18th century before we didn't really care about that at all they didn't want to be their best they want to be their best so what happens is of course this is just a mistake right it's not that they strive for mediocrity is just that the earth used to be written differently well kind
Video examples
What we learned from 5...
and this is really the best of all the queries. So people want to be their best, put their best foot forward. But it turns out in the 18th century, people didn't really care about that at all. They didn't want to be their best, they wanted to be their beft. So what happened is, of course, this is just a mistake. It's not that strove for mediocrity,
Video examples
Why does the universe...
there are nasty bits and nice bits and we could make the nice bits bigger and the nasty bits smaller and that gives us a kind of purpose in life. The universe is absurd, but we can still construct a purpose, and that's a pretty good one, and the overall mediocrity of reality
Video examples
Creativity is a remix PIPE...
I think this is mostly what we do. Our creativity comes from without, not from within. We are not self-made. We are dependent on one another, and admitting this to ourselves isn't an embrace of mediocrity and derivativeness. It's a liberation from our misconceptions,
Video examples
Andreas Schleicher: Use...
where performance is poor and there are large social disparities. And then we can debate, you know, is it better to be there, where performance is strong at the price of large disparities? Or do we want to focus on equity and accept mediocrity?
Video examples
David Brooks: Should you...
who treats life as a game, and you become a cold, calculating creature who slips into a sort of mediocrity where you realize there's a difference between your desired self and your actual self. You're not earning the sort of eulogy you want,
Video examples
Embrace the remix -...
within we are not self-made we are dependent on one another and omitting this to ourselves isn't an embrace of mediocrity and derivative miss it's a liberation from our misconceptions and it's an incentive to not expect so much from
Video examples
Barry Schwartz: Our loss...
We don't trust the judgment of teachers enough to let them loose on their own. Scripts like these are insurance policies against disaster. And they prevent disaster. But what they assure in its place is mediocrity.
Video examples
Bridges should be...
it will always be ugly or dull. Bridges -- beauty enriches life. Doesn't it? It enhances our well-being. Ugliness and mediocrity does exactly the opposite.
Video examples
David Pogue: Simplicity...
I'm not doing this for praise. I write the code that fits the world today. Big mediocrity in every way. We've entered planet domination mode.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Victor Hugo
French Author
There is a sacred horror about everything grand. It is easy to admire mediocrity and hills; but whatever is too lofty, a genius as well as a mountain, an assembly as well as a masterpiece, seen too near, is appalling.
Quote examples
Hank Ketcham
American Cartoonist
Anyone in the humor business isn't thinking clearly if he doesn't surround himself with idea people. Otherwise, you settle for mediocrity - or you burn yourself out.
Quote examples
Robert Louis Stevenson
Scottish Writer
Most of our pocket wisdom is conceived for the use of mediocre people, to discourage them from ambitious attempts, and generally console them in their mediocrity.
Quote examples
Ernst Lubitsch
German Director
I sometimes make pictures which are not up to my standard, but then it can only be said of a mediocrity that all his work is up to his standard.
Quote examples
John W. Thompson
American Businessman
I'm an intensely competitive guy who is driven by the idea that accepting mediocrity or accepting defeat is not the way you succeed in life.
Quote examples
Andrew Carnegie
Scottish Businessman
People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.
Quote examples
Oscar Wilde
Irish Poet
Ridicule is the tribute paid to the genius by the mediocrities.
Quote examples
Anne Rice
American Novelist
The world doesn't need any more mediocrity or hedged bets.
Quote examples
Thomas Carlyle
Scottish Philosopher
The world is a republic of mediocrities, and always was.
Quote examples
Benjamin Disraeli
British Statesman
Mediocrity can talk, but it is for genius to observe.
Quote examples
Victor Hugo
French Author
There is a sacred horror about everything grand. It is easy to admire mediocrity and hills; but whatever is too lofty, a genius as well as a mountain, an assembly as well as a masterpiece, seen too near, is appalling.
Quote examples
Hank Ketcham
American Cartoonist
Anyone in the humor business isn't thinking clearly if he doesn't surround himself with idea people. Otherwise, you settle for mediocrity - or you burn yourself out.
Quote examples
Robert Louis Stevenson
Scottish Writer
Most of our pocket wisdom is conceived for the use of mediocre people, to discourage them from ambitious attempts, and generally console them in their mediocrity.
Quote examples
Ernst Lubitsch
German Director
I sometimes make pictures which are not up to my standard, but then it can only be said of a mediocrity that all his work is up to his standard.
Quote examples
John W. Thompson
American Businessman
I'm an intensely competitive guy who is driven by the idea that accepting mediocrity or accepting defeat is not the way you succeed in life.
Quote examples
Andrew Carnegie
Scottish Businessman
People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.
Quote examples
Oscar Wilde
Irish Poet
Ridicule is the tribute paid to the genius by the mediocrities.
Quote examples
Anne Rice
American Novelist
The world doesn't need any more mediocrity or hedged bets.
Quote examples
Thomas Carlyle
Scottish Philosopher
The world is a republic of mediocrities, and always was.
Quote examples
Benjamin Disraeli
British Statesman
Mediocrity can talk, but it is for genius to observe.
Example 1 of 10
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