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custom

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adjective

as in customized
made or fitted to the needs or preferences of a specific customer that business tycoon wears only custom suits

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun custom differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of custom are habit, practice, usage, and wont. While all these words mean "a way of acting fixed through repetition," custom applies to a practice or usage so steadily associated with an individual or group as to have almost the force of unwritten law.

the custom of wearing black at funerals

When can habit be used instead of custom?

Although the words habit and custom have much in common, habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively.

had a habit of tapping his fingers

When is practice a more appropriate choice than custom?

In some situations, the words practice and custom are roughly equivalent. However, practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

Where would usage be a reasonable alternative to custom?

The synonyms usage and custom are sometimes interchangeable, but usage suggests a customary action so generally followed that it has become a social norm.

western-style dress is now common usage in international business

In what contexts can wont take the place of custom?

The words wont and custom are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group.

as was her wont, she slept until noon

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 custom
Noun
The firm, which sells private-label goods to New York City brick-and-mortars and runs its own custom suiting shops, is clinging to the upsides of the turmoil of the past eight months. Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 14 Aug. 2025 The operations team at the Space Telescope Science Institute had to come up with a custom observing sequence just for this target, and their extra effort paid off spectacularly. David Szondy august 14, New Atlas, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Investors will also be closely watching trends in custom ASIC sales. Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025 These earbuds include two listening modes, interchangeable and flexible tips that offer a more custom, comfortable fit, and a longer battery life. People Staff, People.com, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for custom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for custom
Noun
  • What begins as a strange ritual quickly unravels into a waking nightmare.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Designing an at-home spa experience in your own space transforms everyday routines into serene self-care rituals.
    Jené Luciani Sena , Caitlyn Martyn may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom., FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The Grand Luna continues Campfire Audio’s tradition of producing small batches of products that are hand-assembled in Portland, Oregon.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Farley-Artis' contributions to the Cincinnati community stretch beyond the stage through her work as executive director of the Black Family Reunion – a four-day event and annual tradition once celebrated in cities across the country that has since found a home in Cincinnati.
    Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • And the reliability of economic information Washington provides to foreign governments, businesses and investors is vital to their confidence in our economy.
    Robert Hormats, Time, 12 Aug. 2025
  • At the moment — and surely for some years to come — there is plenty of AI business to go around.
    Patrick Moorhead, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Gradually, the habit evolved into purging food and then into a way to maintain his weight.
    Noelle Wiehe, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Aug. 2025
  • That irrelevancy may come with the passing of time and the changing of habits from one generation to the next, but for now, Match of the Day remains the pillar of English football’s TV schedule.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 17 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • This means knowing that AI has a purpose and a set of rules, and that it can be biased or flawed.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Swarthmore would not be the first school to allow a biological male to compete in women's sports after the NCAA rule change, if the allegations are true.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • As did misgivings about the NC500 brand passing from royal patronage to private ownership: Since 2018, North Coast 500 Ltd has been under the control of Anders Holch Povlsen, a Danish billionaire and Scotland’s biggest landowner.
    Angus MacKinnon, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2025
  • After the allegations, Andrew resigned from his public roles with the royal family in May 2020, and had his honorary military affiliations and royal charitable patronages removed by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in January 2022.
    Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 28 July 2025
Adjective
  • Automate routine tasks, digitize manual workflows and use low-code platforms to build tailored applications that eliminate the need for scattered point solutions.
    Amit Mathradas, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
  • The front seams give the pants a tailored look, and my favorite detail is the front slits at the bottom.
    Nicol Natale, People.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Quick hits and thoughts as the Dolphins prepare for the third and final week of preseason, culminating in Thursday’s joint practice with the Jaguars in Miami Gardens and Saturday’s preseason finale against Jacksonville at Hard Rock Stadium (7 p.m., CBS 4).
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
  • The Horned Frogs have the next two days off before returning to practice Tuesday.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Custom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/custom. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.

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