customary

adjective

cus·​tom·​ary ˈkə-stə-ˌmer-ē How to pronounce customary (audio)
-ˌme-rē
1
: commonly practiced, used, or observed
customary acts of courtesy
his customary enthusiasm
2
: based on or established by custom
customary laws
customariness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for customary

usual, customary, habitual, wonted, accustomed mean familiar through frequent or regular repetition.

usual stresses the absence of strangeness or unexpectedness.

my usual order for lunch

customary applies to what accords with the practices, conventions, or usages of an individual or community.

the customary waiting period before the application is approved

habitual suggests a practice settled or established by much repetition.

a habitual morning routine

wonted stresses habituation but usually applies to what is favored, sought, or purposefully cultivated.

his wonted determination

accustomed is less emphatic than wonted or habitual in suggesting fixed habit or invariable custom.

accepted the compliment with her accustomed modesty

Examples of customary in a Sentence

He forgot the customary “thank you.” It is customary to hold the door open for someone who is entering a building behind you. She dressed in her customary fashion. He did the work with his customary efficiency.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Shohei Ohtani took his customary spot atop the Dodgers’ batting order for their game against the Washington Nationals on Sunday afternoon. Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 22 June 2025 What began as a joke soon became customary for the crew to blurt out on set when something went wrong, which happened frequently. Logan Holland, People.com, 20 June 2025 His criticisms of Powell have practically become a customary part of FOMC meetings. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 18 June 2025 The customary rain of plastic rats on the Amerant Bank Arena ice after a Panthers win featured a deep cut poke at Edmonton superstar center Connor McDavid. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for customary

Word History

Etymology

see custom entry 1

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of customary was in 1552

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Customary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/customary. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

customary

adjective
cus·​tom·​ary ˈkəs-tə-ˌmer-ē How to pronounce customary (audio)
1
: based on or established by custom
customary rent
2
: commonly done, observed, or used
her customary kindness
customary courtesies
customarily adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on customary

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!