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
Weeks on, the US president is delivering a similar message to Europe, which is battling a fresh energy shock after Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil ordinarily flows.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
Great effort has been made to transform what is ordinarily a plain, beige room into a festive space.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2026
Seizing Iranian territory in the Strait of Hormuz or Persian Gulf could force Tehran to ease its chokehold on the waterway, a vital route through which 20 percent of the world's oil and gas ordinarily transits.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
But the growth on that principal — the portion that would ordinarily be subject to income tax upon withdrawal from a traditional account — comes out completely free.
—Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordinarily
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.
Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
Great effort has been made to transform what is ordinarily a plain, beige room into a festive space.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2026
Seizing Iranian territory in the Strait of Hormuz or Persian Gulf could force Tehran to ease its chokehold on the waterway, a vital route through which 20 percent of the world's oil and gas ordinarily transits.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
But the growth on that principal — the portion that would ordinarily be subject to income tax upon withdrawal from a traditional account — comes out completely free.
—Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 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 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
