Synonyms of custom

custom 1 of 2

noun

ˈkə-stəm 

1

as in ritual

a usual manner of behaving or doing

it is my custom to have half a bagel and coffee for breakfast

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ritual
• habit
• practice
• trick
• way
• pattern
• practise
• tendency
• second nature
• fashion
• routine
• style
• wont
• inclination
• addiction
• mode
• use
• habitude
• usage
• set
• turn
• disposition
• convention
• characteristic
• manners
• bent
• groove
• bag
• proclivity
• trait
• tenor
• attribute
• regimen
• regime
• form
• peculiarity
• drill
• deportment
• mores
• quirk
• affectation
• rut
• rote
• pose
• régime
• singularity
• tic
• airs
• eccentricity
• kink
• oddity
• jog trot
• mark

2

as in tradition

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

• tradition
• rule
• values
• principles
• convention
• prescription
• heritage
• standards
• ethic
• mode
• rubric
• norm
• legacy
• inheritance
• form
• superstition
• culture
• lifestyle
• mores
• folklore
• lore
• birthright

3

as in business

transactions or economic support provided by customers

that restaurant certainly lost my custom after they were cited for health code violations

Synonyms & Similar Words

• business
• patronage
• marketplace
• traffic
• trade
• merchandising
• free trade
• affairs
• dealings
• retailing
• wholesaling
• horse-trading

custom

2 of 2

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

• customized
• tailored
• made-to-order
• bespoke
• custom-made
• bespoken
• specialized
• custom-tailored
• tailor-made
• special
• handmade
• handcrafted
• custom-built
• particular
• made-to-measure

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ready-made
• mass-produced

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

Recent Examples of custom

Noun

OpenAI for Government will give U.S. government bodies access custom AI models for national security, support and product roadmap information. —Jordan Novet, CNBC, 16 June 2025

Since there are no radios in the module, a custom iPad app was the only way the filmmakers could make on-the-fly changes to the camera. —Julian Chokkattu, Wired News, 16 June 2025

Adjective

Both were ordered in custom, extra-wide sizes, roughly seven feet square. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 24 Mar. 2025

Emma Chamberlain kicked things off in custom Courreges, for example, and Zendaya wore a crisp white suit with a matching floppy hat by Louis Vuitton designed by Pharrell. —Rosana Lai, Glamour, 5 May 2025