customary

adjective

cus·​tom·​ary ˈkə-stə-ˌmer-ē 

-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

ˈkə-stə-ˌmer-ē-nəs 

-ˌme-rē-

noun

Synonyms of customary

• usual
• conventional
• prevailing
• current

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

The list price of Tudriqev will be $450,000 per course of therapy before customary rebates and discounts, Replimune said. — Elaine Chen, STAT, 6 Aug. 2026

After Warmooge, 12, falls to his death while playing with Waasuge, a fellow goatherd, the village elder fails to resolve the case via customary law and religious counsel. — John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026

The simple answer is that air conditioning is not customary in France, and their architecture is traditionally not built to accommodate it well, even for those who are now desperately seeking relief. — Morgan Simon, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Vrabel has been messing with Jacas behind the scenes, giving him a hard time during team meetings, which is customary for rookies. — Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see custom entry 1

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for customary

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• apiary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• bacillary
• beriberi
• bestiary
• breviary
• budgetary

Kids Definition

customary

adjective

cus·​tom·​ary ˈkəs-tə-ˌmer-ē 

1

: based on or established by custom

customary rent

2

: commonly done, observed, or used

her customary kindness

customary courtesies

customarily

ˌkəs-tə-ˈmer-ə-lē 

adverb