Many reviewers praised Ordinary Words while commenting on Stone's age and quirky voice. A Publishers Weekly critic, for example, notes, "Stone often writes as an aging observer," but also asserts that Stone's characters exhibit "a contagious hope." The critic further observes the collection's title poem "Ordinary Words" is "studded with socio- political zingers," and that "The ordinary, for Stone, turns out to be more than enough."

Reviewing Ordinary Words for Library Journal, Barbara Hoffert zeroes in on the inherent irony of the collection's title, noting that Stone's poetry, while exhibiting some wit, also shows "the darker side of life." Hoffert continues, "Ordinary words, these aren't."

New York Times reporter Dinitia Smith, in her article "Poetry That Captures a Tough 87 Years," reminds readers that Stone "is not a sweet old lady." Smith characterizes Stone's poetry as a form of "brutal honesty" and applauds her directness. "She writes...