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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
Follicle cysts form when the tiny sac (called a follicle) that houses the maturing egg during your cycle doesn’t break open as usual to release said egg. Korin Miller, SELF, 22 Apr. 2025 The harvest and fermentation proceed as usual, and the wine ferments completely dry to an alcohol content of 11–12%. Per and Britt Karlsson, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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 See All Example Sentences for usual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usual
Adjective
  • In one new academic paper, an AI model was able to predict whether a cancer patient is at risk of developing wasting disease better than conventional methods.
    Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Such an admission not only upsets the conventional framing of the war, but strikes at the very heart of the Vietnamese Communist Party’s own legitimacy to govern the country.
    Made by History, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Such intimidation may be normal in Putin's Russia, not in the civilized world!
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Seeing the color Olo needed specific stimulation to push the vision beyond its normal limits.
    Terry Collins, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This development mirrors the revolutionary vision of personal computing, suggesting a future where AI agents could become as ubiquitous as desktop computers. 2.
    Gaurav Pathak, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
  • And although offal may never become as ubiquitous as muscle meat in American diets, more people eating organ meats could come with some positives.
    Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 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
  • His dad’s customary reticence meant Specktor had work to do.
    Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
  • The deal is expected to close in the third quarter pending customary approvals.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Some might offer better support than others or have a more natural resting spot for thumbs, but to greater or lesser extents, a good mouse is sculpted to fit the arch of the typical human hand.
    Matt Kamen, Wired News, 20 Apr. 2025
  • In a typical spring, apply the herbicide in early to mid-April.
    Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In addition to its brand new placements, OVO also returns to a familiar home: the Official Physical Albums chart.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • In so doing, Francis' steps did not always follow familiar paths.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In the 13th century, the papacy was vacant for almost three years before the election of Gregory X, who tightened up conclave rules.
    John Bacon, USA Today, 2 May 2025
  • The author of that rule change, Garth Glissman, is an SEC associate commissioner and driving force behind the effort to pass a similar rule for men’s college hoops.
    Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 1 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Usual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usual. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

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