1
as in usual
accepted, used, or practiced by most people
the customary response to the greeting "How are you?" is "Fine, thanks"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in traditional
based on customs usually handed down from a previous generation
the customary toasting of the bride and groom at their wedding reception
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of customary
The company works with regional specialists to help ensure that employment practices reflect local requirements and customary standards.
—
Kaitlyn Gomez, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
It customary for an air of mystery to surround the burials of drug lords in Mexico, something their supporters take advantage of to try to elevate them to legend.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
While Russia rejects the court’s jurisdiction, attacks on objects indispensable to civilian survival are prohibited under the Geneva Conventions and customary international law.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
Do like the locals do and arrive early, bring travel umbrellas, pack food and drink for the day, and maybe even get naked, as is customary on Menorca’s remote beaches.
—Catherine Tansey, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for customary
Kaitlyn Gomez, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
It customary for an air of mystery to surround the burials of drug lords in Mexico, something their supporters take advantage of to try to elevate them to legend.
—ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026
While Russia rejects the court’s jurisdiction, attacks on objects indispensable to civilian survival are prohibited under the Geneva Conventions and customary international law.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 24 Feb. 2026
Do like the locals do and arrive early, bring travel umbrellas, pack food and drink for the day, and maybe even get naked, as is customary on Menorca’s remote beaches.
—Catherine Tansey, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for customary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for customary
Adjective
-
Zendaya first sparked wedding rumors last month when she was spotted with a gold band in place of her usual rock, though fans were unsure if the actor had simply turned her ring towards her palm or switched to a simpler ring to keep the real one safe.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
16 Mar. 2026
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Los Fabulosos Cadillacs are now embarked on their 40th anniversary tour, which should make their show here even more celebratory than usual.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The elevator delivers you to the lobby, where hanging textiles in warm ocher tones serve as the signature art piece, dyed using dorozome, a traditional mud-dyeing technique, with soil from the building site itself.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Mar. 2026
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The board denied renewal of Green Dot Locke High charter by a 4-3 vote, citing lower performance compared to traditional schools.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The key innovation in this motor lies in the use of amorphous steel, a material that differs from conventional electrical steels commonly used in motor cores.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Mar. 2026
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Our goal is also always to bring together established and emerging voices, challenging the conventional formats.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Harvesting seed nearby is a way to get plants that are genetically adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions and are more likely to thrive.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Jan. 2026
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In the northern United States, enjoying the starry winter sky requires protection against the prevailing low temperatures.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The facility had been recently hardened with a concrete shell and then covered with soil in the months before the current conflict.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
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The discovery that the sun and many of these solar twins are of similar ages and located about the same distance from the center of the galaxy suggests that the sun is not at its current position by accident.—
Charles Q. Choi,
Space.com,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Customary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/customary. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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