mediocrity

/ˌmiːdiˈɒkrəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌmiːdiˈɑːkrəti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌmē-dē-ˈä-krə-tē/ (ame, mw)

mediocrity — noun

  • mediocritysingular
  • mediocritiesplural

1. the condition of being only ordinary or average, noticeably lacking any special

1.名詞B2
釋義

the condition of being only ordinary or average, noticeably lacking any special quality, talent, or excellence — for example, when a piece of work meets the minimum standard but never rises to something impressive.

例句

After three years at the sales department, Mei-Lin grew tired of the culture of mediocrity that never demanded better results.

collocation: culture of mediocrity

The athletic programme had slipped into mediocrity — coaches repeated the same drills year after year without any improvement.

collocation: slipped into mediocrity

同義詞
  • ordinariness

    more neutral tone; can describe something acceptably typical rather than falling short

  • averageness

    statistical or factual; focuses on being near the middle of a scale

  • inferiority

    stronger negative connotation — implies being below the acceptable standard, not just average

反義詞
  • excellence

    the quality of being outstanding or exceptionally good

  • distinction

    the quality of being especially notable or impressive

文法句型

mediocrity of [something]

sink/slip into mediocrity

用法筆記

Usually uncountable and used with a disapproving tone. Commonly appears in phrases describing institutions, systems, or work environments that tolerate or reward average performance instead of pursuing excellence.

常見錯誤

❌The mediocrity of her presentation was praised by everyone.
✅The mediocrity of her presentation disappointed the whole team.
💡'mediocrity' describes average/poor quality, so positive reactions do not make sense with it.
❌He showed great mediocrity in the competition.
✅He showed alarming mediocrity in the competition.
💡avoid pairing 'mediocrity' with positive modifiers like 'great'; it is inherently a negative quality.

2. a person whose skills, performance, or output is unimpressive — they do what is

2.名詞B2
釋義

a person whose skills, performance, or output is unimpressive — they do what is required but produce nothing that stands out as especially good, original, or excellent.

例句

The hiring committee rejected the confident talker as a mere mediocrity who had never built anything from scratch.

pattern: dismiss [someone] as a mediocrity

Although the other applicants brought bold ideas, the board chose a safe mediocrity who would follow orders without question.

collocation: a safe mediocrity

同義詞
  • nobody

    emphasises lack of fame or importance rather than lack of ability; less harsh

  • lightweight

    informal; suggests someone lacks depth, seriousness, or influence

  • second-rater

    more old-fashioned; explicitly places someone below the top tier of ability

反義詞
  • genius

    someone with exceptional intellectual or creative ability

  • star

    someone who excels notably in their field

文法句型

a [adjective] mediocrity

dismiss [someone] as a mediocrity

用法筆記

Countable and often dismissive in tone. The plural 'mediocrities' refers to a group of such people. Typically modified by adjectives that reinforce the judgment, such as 'mere,' 'safe,' 'rank,' or 'complete.'

常見錯誤

❌Einstein was a mediocrity in physics.
✅Einstein was a genius in physics.
💡calling someone world-class a 'mediocrity' contradicts the word's meaning of being below average.
❌She is a mediocrity, winning awards every year.
✅She is a mediocrity who never wins anything.
💡the context must match the negative evaluation; winning awards indicates high ability, not mediocrity.