nondescript

IPA/ˈnɒndɪskrɪpt/
KK[nˈɑndɪskrˈɪpt]IPA/ˈnɑːndɪskrɪpt/

nondescript — adjective

  • nondescriptpositive
  • more nondescriptcomparative
  • most nondescriptsuperlative

1. so plain or average in appearance that nobody notices it or remembers it later

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

so plain or average in appearance that nobody notices it or remembers it later

Example

Esme parked outside a nondescript office block on the edge of town.

a nondescript + noun (building)

The thief wore a nondescript grey jacket and walked away calmly.

a nondescript + noun (clothing)

Common collocations
  • nondescript building
  • nondescript van
  • nondescript clothes
  • nondescript suburb
  • look nondescript
Synonyms
  • unremarkable

    very close in meaning; slightly more formal and works for events as well as appearance.

  • ordinary

    broader, neutral; lacks the implication of being instantly forgotten.

  • plain

    simpler word, often positive for design; 'nondescript' is rarely a compliment.

  • drab

    stronger negative; adds the idea of dull colour or gloom.

Antonyms
  • striking

    actively draws the eye — the opposite effect.

  • distinctive

    has a clear feature that sets it apart.

  • memorable

    stays in your mind after you see it.

Grammar Patterns

a nondescript + noun

look nondescript

Usage Note

Usually placed before a noun (a nondescript van, a nondescript building). Often carries a mildly negative tone — the thing is too plain to be worth a second glance — and is common in crime reporting and travel writing.

Common Mistakes

The hotel was very nondescript yesterday.
The hotel looked very nondescript.
describes a lasting quality, not a temporary state, so 'looked' or 'seemed' is more natural than past 'was'.
He had a nondescript personality.
He had a bland personality.
'nondescript' mostly describes physical appearance (clothes, buildings, vehicles); use 'bland' or 'dull' for personality.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe something that does not stand out, but they differ in scope and tone. 'Nondescript' is the most visual: it almost always points at how something looks (a building, a van, a coat) and quietly says that you will forget it within minutes. 'Unremarkable' is broader — it covers events, performances, and meals as well as appearance, and it sounds more neutral and formal. 'Ordinary' is the widest of the five and need not be negative; an ordinary day can still be pleasant. 'Plain' often praises simple design and clear honesty, so it is the only one that can flatter. 'Drab' is the bluntest negative: it adds the idea of dull colours and a gloomy mood. So a small grey terraced house is plain or nondescript by day and drab on a rainy evening.

nondescript ↗unremarkable ↗ordinary ↗plain ↗drab ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • nondescript building
  • nondescript van
  • nondescript suburb
  • nondescript clothes
  • nondescript hotel

Adverbs

  • fairly nondescript
  • rather nondescript
  • completely nondescript

Phrases

  • look nondescript
  • blend into nondescript surroundings

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Formed in English in the late 1600s from the Latin prefix 'non-' (not) plus 'descriptus', the past participle of 'describere' (to write down or describe). It first meant 'not yet described by science' and was used by naturalists for new plants and animals they could not classify. By the 1800s it had drifted into everyday English with the modern sense — so plain that there is nothing worth describing.