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
Frank Partsch, who served as editorial page editor of the Omaha World-Herald from 1982–2003, argued that the op-ed page has a primary duty to provide opinions not ordinarily found on the editorial page.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Parks are ordinarily exempt from the city’s public drinking ban — but not this year.
—Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Gravitational lensing isn't just useful for seeing objects ordinarily way beyond our view; the lensing effect can tell scientists a great deal about the body doing the lensing as well.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026
All those new residents – particularly the lush green lawns many grow in the desert-like climate – are consuming water that would ordinarily flow into the Great Salt Lake.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordinarily
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Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026
Parks are ordinarily exempt from the city’s public drinking ban — but not this year.
—Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Gravitational lensing isn't just useful for seeing objects ordinarily way beyond our view; the lensing effect can tell scientists a great deal about the body doing the lensing as well.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Apr. 2026
All those new residents – particularly the lush green lawns many grow in the desert-like climate – are consuming water that would ordinarily flow into the Great Salt Lake.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 12 Apr. 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 28 Apr. 2026.
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