1
as in rituals
a usual manner of behaving or doing
it is my custom to have half a bagel and coffee for breakfast
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in traditions
an inherited or established way of thinking, feeling, or doing
the custom around here is that the bride's family pays for the wedding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of customs
In extreme cases, shipments might be abandoned or destroyed if customs or storage infrastructure can’t absorb volume surges.
—
Pilar Melendez, NBC news, 4 Feb. 2026
The Treasury Department says tariffs generated $195 billion in customs duties in fiscal 2025, a 250 percent increase over 2024.
—Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Though even scarier was the time Zoe was coming back from Paris with lots of luggage and was flagged by customs.
—Meredith Lepore, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2026
The challenges include learning a new language, a new culture, and new customs.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
Years ago, Angela Duckworth, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, did not see much significance in the motivational tactics or customs of NFL players.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Tangible cultural heritage consists of physical elements, like monuments, artifacts, and historic sites, while intangible cultural heritage consists of intellectual elements, like customs, traditions, and languages.
—Kristin Houser, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
The presence of customs and Border Patrol agents in the Bay Area created a tense atmosphere at the entrance of Coast Guard Island in Alameda in October 2025.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026
Fronted by memorable performances from John Lithgow, Jane Curtin, and French Stewart, the make-believe family experiences the crazy culture and customs of Earth in each episode, leading to a multitude of humorous situations.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Pilar Melendez, NBC news, 4 Feb. 2026
The Treasury Department says tariffs generated $195 billion in customs duties in fiscal 2025, a 250 percent increase over 2024.
—Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Though even scarier was the time Zoe was coming back from Paris with lots of luggage and was flagged by customs.
—Meredith Lepore, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2026
The challenges include learning a new language, a new culture, and new customs.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 30 Jan. 2026
Years ago, Angela Duckworth, a professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, did not see much significance in the motivational tactics or customs of NFL players.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Tangible cultural heritage consists of physical elements, like monuments, artifacts, and historic sites, while intangible cultural heritage consists of intellectual elements, like customs, traditions, and languages.
—Kristin Houser, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
The presence of customs and Border Patrol agents in the Bay Area created a tense atmosphere at the entrance of Coast Guard Island in Alameda in October 2025.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2026
Fronted by memorable performances from John Lithgow, Jane Curtin, and French Stewart, the make-believe family experiences the crazy culture and customs of Earth in each episode, leading to a multitude of humorous situations.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for customs
Noun
-
For spa-like pre and post-shower rituals, Harrison reaches for this hyper-absorbent piece from Boll & Branch, which has a luxury weight to it that feels distinctly Four Seasons.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
2 Feb. 2026
-
That interruption had felt bold and clarifying—an extraordinary disruption of ordinary rituals, which seemed certain to have some effect.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In Kano and Northern Nigeria, this marks the start of the Durbar festival, an annual cultural, religious and equestrian celebration showcasing the rich heritage and traditions of the Hausa people.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
There’s a casual, authoritative swing to their performance that belies the stylistic range on the record; the songs touch upon different traditions, yet all sound of a piece.—
Stephen Thomas Erlewine,
Pitchfork,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Finally, Robb suggests focusing more on habits versus one-time mistakes.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Good sleep depends more on overall habits and sleep environment than any single hack.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
These may include skipping meals, ignoring hunger clues, relying on rigid food rules and cutting out entire food groups, according to Garcia-Benson.—
Shiv Sudhakar,
FOXNews.com,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Seat-time rules should never be the reason a capable student fails.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
A student who was a friend of a Centennial player with minimal practices was asked to join the team for a game.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Kelce, who continues her ongoing partnership with Dove through a commercial that will air during the 2026 Super Bowl, learned her self-love practices through her own life experiences.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
These values drop somewhat when advertising on cable networks, although costs can be fairly volatile depending on the channel and specific program.—
Ethan Stone,
Miami Herald,
4 Feb. 2026
-
There’s a belief that the franchise could go for more than $7 billion, which would lift the values of every franchise.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Customs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/customs. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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