Word
nondescript
Phoneticsnon·de·script, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈnɑndɪsˈkɹɪpt/
UK/nˌɒndɪskɹˈɪpt/
Definition
adj. plain and ordinary, with nothing special to notice or remember. You use it for things or places that look normal and do not stand out.
adj. lacking distinctive or memorable characteristics; unremarkably ordinary in appearance or character. Often describes buildings, objects, or people that blend easily into the background.
Examples
“They live in a small nondescript house near the station.”
“The witness described the car as a nondescript grey sedan that blended easily into traffic.”
“Behind a nondescript door on the side street lay a workshop where three generations of clockmakers had quietly repaired timepieces for the whole city.”
Examples
simple
“They live in a small nondescript house near the station.”
contextual
“The witness described the car as a nondescript grey sedan that blended easily into traffic.”
complex
“Behind a nondescript door on the side street lay a workshop where three generations of clockmakers had quietly repaired timepieces for the whole city.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “nondescript” in context.
Verb
01. appear nondescript
“The building appears nondescript, but it houses a cutting-edge laboratory.”
verb + adj
02. border on nondescript
“The architecture is so plain it borders on nondescript.”
verb + prep + adj
03. look nondescript
“The cafe looks nondescript from the street, but the food is excellent.”
verb + adj
Adjective
04. fairly nondescript
“The hotel was fairly nondescript, but it was clean and close to the station.”
adv + adj
Noun
05. nondescript block
“His flat is in a nondescript block near the railway station.”
adj + noun
06. nondescript building
“They met in a nondescript building on the edge of town.”
adj + noun
07. nondescript office
“She works in a nondescript office above a supermarket.”
adj + noun
08. a fairly nondescript suburb
“We stayed in a fairly nondescript suburb with good transport links.”
09. a nondescript office block
“The company operates from a nondescript office block near the airport.”
10. a small nondescript town
“The novel is set in a small nondescript town in the Midlands.”
11. an otherwise nondescript street
“The gallery has transformed an otherwise nondescript street into an arts hub.”
12. look utterly nondescript
“Without its bright sign, the restaurant would look utterly nondescript.”
Real-World Examples
“Based in a drab four-storey office block in the London suburb of Finchley, the Sherm Group is an apparently respectable but nondescript family business.” “Here, the second-richest U.S. family runs Mars Inc, maker of M&M's candies and Pedigree pet food, out of a nondescript building with no corporate logo or any other identifying signage.” “A nondescript facility south of Cleveland has become an early staging ground for the auto industry's next supply-chain pivot: replacing vehicle hardware from China.” “While he has given multiple speeches to foreign leaders and assemblies, they've all been via video conference, usually with the Ukrainian leader sitting in a nondescript, windowless room, clothed in his trademark olive-green military garb.” Etymology
From non- + descript (from Latin dēscrīptus, past participle of dēscrībō).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/nondescript