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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
Styled by Danielle Goldberg, Edebiri wore a custom Loewe gray suit accessorized with a gold feather-like tie. Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025 Brushed with a maltose syrup glaze, the ducks roast in a custom oven over a water bath, where fat drips into water instead of flames, keeping the meat moist and the smoke clean. Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Its Miracle Cookies, vegan and gluten-free, are a standout in the niche market, developed after months of experimenting with a custom, gluten-free flour blend. Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025 The lemon-tree wallpaper in the dining room is custom, and the kaleidoscopic painting is by Damien Hirst. Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for custom
Recent Examples of Synonyms for custom
Noun
  • Forced to participate in increasingly macabre rituals and tests, Giacomo is consumed by the sinister — as apparitions, ghosts and deadly rumors start to accumulate.
    Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The line includes scent beads and tumble dryer sheets, described as transforming the act of doing laundry into a sensory ritual.
    Essence, Essence, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Beans are often associated with South America, the Dutch have popularized the instant coffee brands Americans have become most familiar with and café culture centers on Italian espresso traditions.
    Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Nashville gets 'Showgirl' mural It's become a Nashville tradition for Taylor Swift album drops.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • CEOs and global leaders will gather for a dynamic, invitation-only event shaping the future of business.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Goad joined The Tennessean in 2016 as the business and entertainment editor and has been critical to the company’s digital growth, leading a dramatic expansion of music and entertainment coverage while elevating its enterprise business reporting.
    Nashville Tennessean, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • By considering both personal and business goals, WestPac provides clear, customized solutions that help clients make smarter decisions and achieve long-term success.
    Wyles Daniel, AZCentral.com, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Three man have been charged with selling either methamphetamine or guns to undercover federal agents, including one Oakland man who allegedly used his houseboat on the Oakland marina to peddle firearms and brag about his knack for making customized bullets.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Arm-fat distribution is influenced by a mix of hormones, genetics, and lifestyle habits.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
  • His work ethic and practice habits are exceptional.
    Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Schools must follow state mandates on instructional hours, but states typically don’t set strict rules on how long a lunch period should be, so some principals whittle it down to twenty or twenty-five minutes.
    Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2025
  • According to the rules laid down by Nobel in his 1895 will, the prizes can only honor up to three people per award — a growing challenge given the collaborative nature of much scientific research.
    Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Presented by the Afro Fashion Association with the patronage of the City of Milan and support from the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, the evening felt less like a prizegiving and more like a manifesto, where fashion, culture, and future-facing ideas shared one stage.
    Susanna Owusu Twumwah, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Thailand has long been hostage to antiquated patronage politics, with cash handouts and other inducements distributed via influential local families, known as baan yai, commonplace to foster support.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the staff was impeccably outfitted in tailored pieces, watches, and stiletto heels.
    Abbey Hudetz, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025
  • As part of these contracts, TVA’s Power Service Shops in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, are assisting in the development of tailored welding and fabrication techniques for a smaller stellarator testbed known as Infinity One.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Custom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/custom. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

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