ordinarily
adverb
or·di·nar·i·ly
ˌȯr-də-ˈner-ə-lē 
: in an ordinary manner or to an ordinary extent: such as
a
: in the ordinary course of events : usually
She was ordinarily very busy in the morning.
the jobs ordinarily handled by junior staff members
… cortisol, a hormone which ordinarily comes into play in situations of bodily stress …—
Maggie Scarf
Maggie ScarfOrdinarily, the immune system of any mammal will work to fight off a fungal parasite.—David Quammen
David Quammen
b
: to the usual extent : moderately
It must suffice for him to be ordinarily honest according to the ordinary honesty of the world's ways …—Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
c
: in a commonplace or inferior way : without distinction
A friend of mine … has two apartments on the 3rd floor, very ordinarily furnished …—Walt Whitman
Walt WhitmanExamples of ordinarily in a Sentence
ordinarily, I get off work at five, but this week I'm working late to meet a project deadline
Recent Examples on the Web
An Oregon environmental group is suing the Department of the Interior to stop a timber sale in the Coast Range because Congress invalidated the BLM resource management plan that would have ordinarily guided the sale of about 1,300 acres of timber in sensitive salmon-rearing habitat.
—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
25 June 2026
Levine argued that when decisions ordinarily made by a university president or full board are concentrated in the chair’s hands, the university risks both internal conflict and legal questions about whether actions were properly authorized in public view.
—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2026
Some beers at Mexico City Stadium were selling for between 299 and 310 pesos — about twice as much as fans would ordinarily pay in the same stadium when the World Cup isn’t in town.
—
Tim Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
The actor playing Sweeney, Matt Faucher, is not ordinarily an imposing figure.
—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordinarily
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Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
25 June 2026
Levine argued that when decisions ordinarily made by a university president or full board are concentrated in the chair’s hands, the university risks both internal conflict and legal questions about whether actions were properly authorized in public view.
—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2026
Some beers at Mexico City Stadium were selling for between 299 and 310 pesos — about twice as much as fans would ordinarily pay in the same stadium when the World Cup isn’t in town.
—
Tim Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
The actor playing Sweeney, Matt Faucher, is not ordinarily an imposing figure.
—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordinarily
Cite this Entry
“Ordinarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ordinarily. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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