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usual

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word usual distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of usual are accustomed, customary, habitual, and wonted. While all these words mean "familiar through frequent or regular repetition," usual stresses the absence of strangeness or unexpectedness.

my usual order for lunch

How is accustomed related to other words for usual?

Accustomed is less emphatic than wonted or habitual in suggesting fixed habit or invariable custom.

accepted the compliment with her accustomed modesty

In what contexts can customary take the place of usual?

The words customary and usual are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, customary applies to what accords with the practices, conventions, or usages of an individual or community.

the customary waiting period before the application is approved

When could habitual be used to replace usual?

Although the words habitual and usual have much in common, habitual suggests a practice settled or established by much repetition.

a habitual morning routine

When is wonted a more appropriate choice than usual?

The words wonted and usual can be used in similar contexts, but wonted stresses habituation but usually applies to what is favored, sought, or purposefully cultivated.

his wonted determination

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of usual
Adjective
Ebonē Colbert ordered her usual on her weekly trip to Wendy's with her son: a kid’s meal with a plain cheeseburger for him and a Dave’s Single, a burger topped with lettuce and tomato, for herself. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 26 Aug. 2022 On the first day back, Evans ordered his usual: a single cheeseburger, fries and a Coke. Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2022
Noun
Washable, flexible flats that don’t punish my feet with even more pain than usual? Ashley Jones, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2025 That’s roughly 1 percent of Netflix’s more than 301 million subscribers, but also not wildly different in size from Fox News’ usual daily audience of loyal, if aging viewers. David Bloom, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for usual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usual
Adjective
  • Where are millennials buying the most homes? Raleigh, North Carolina leads the nation in millennial homebuying, with 4.5% of Raleigh-Cary residents aged 25-44 purchasing homes with conventional mortgages in 2024, the highest share among all metro areas studied.
    Diana Leyva, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025
  • The nonprofit’s study on cotton—spanning organic, conventional, recycled and regenerative —is slated for this year’s last quarter.
    Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • As climate extremes become the new normal and other demand pressures rise, modernizing grid components with U.S.-made technology is essential.
    Shaun Walsh, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Your body then releases a hormone called insulin to help bring your blood sugar levels back down to normal.
    Aubrey Bailey, Verywell Health, 6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The ubiquitous television graphics, TRUMP-PUTIN SUMMIT, with fluttering American and Russian flags.
    Richard Stengel, Time, 16 Aug. 2025
  • Nostalgic visitors will find that Jack in the Box’s signature tacos are still on the menu, but its once ubiquitous clown mascot is mostly missing, relegated to the pantheon of bygone fast-food icons along with Burger Chef.
    Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Alila Napa Valley goes beyond the ordinary by offering unforgettable experiences designed to captivate modern travelers, especially Xennials.
    Noel Burgess, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
  • The couple have often walked red carpets together, so it certainly wouldn’t be considered out of the ordinary for the 37-year-old to walk the Golden Globes red carpet alongside her beau as his plus-one.
    Sam Reed, Glamour, 4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Were there customary marketing activities before the sale of shares? 17.
    Meenal Aggarwal, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The court affirmed that all countries have a legal duty under customary international law, which refers to universal rules that arise from common practices among states, to prevent harm to the climate.
    Daimeon Shanks-Dumont, The Conversation, 1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Speed: Choose a plan with enough download and upload speed for your typical use.
    Kara McGinley, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
  • David Raya came and collected a corner with typical calmness, using a quick throw to release Martin Odegaard into a four-on-four counter-attack.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • As the new general manager of the Farmington Civic Theater, Clare Cooney plans to add some indie films to the historic Farmington landmark’s familiar mix of tentpole movies and family favorites, writes Julie Hinds.
    Leah Olajide, Freep.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • For many people, a society where women average 1.8 or 1.9 children would feel familiar.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Shred cheese: As always, follow one of the cardinal rules of casserole making in the South: Shred your own cheese.
    Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Timing players is part of the rules, but it is not applied homogeneously in different tournaments and circumstances.
    Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Usual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usual. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

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