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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
The vehicle Kinser drove was returned to its usual spot, but no one saw its return. Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025 Retail pricing has not yet been confirmed, but readers can expect higher-than-usual price points for each item. Riley Jones, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for usual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usual
Adjective
  • By exploiting quantum states that resist thermalization, their new approach converts waste heat into electricity more effectively than conventional methods, surpassing traditional thermodynamic limits.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Paired with wood, this resulted in a structure that’s 85 to 90 percent lighter than conventional steel structures for buildings of similar dimensions.
    Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Israel then tightened a land-sea-air blockade of the territory, which made normal governance impossible and turned every budget line into a permit request.
    Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The cells measure nine square meters (nearly 97 square foot), no bigger than normal cells, although residents in this special wing aren’t required to share a cell, typically out of concern for their safety.
    Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Rare earths are ubiquitous in everyday technologies, from smartphones to wind turbines to LED lights and flat-screen TVs.
    Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
  • His level of greatness is so ubiquitous that people use his namesake as a measuring stick in other realms.
    Devin Robertson, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 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
  • As is customary, Danielle got the showier instrumental bits of the night, going from playing some serious fuzz guitar to the mid-show segment that has her kicking it on drums.
    Chris Willman, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
  • As is customary, hearing from the banks officially kicks off every earnings season.
    Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Voronkov skated by the Columbus bench for the typical goal celebration anyway.
    Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025
  • What would be a typical work outfit for you?
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But after the offense scored just one goal against Uxbridge, Quinn and the coaching staff made the move to push Schneider – one of the Porkers’ best finishers – back up to her familiar center-forward position against Canton, along with a couple of other changes.
    Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Which means the vagaries of late October are pretty familiar for this franchise and the bulk of these players.
    Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Anthropic updated the rule in July, allowing prospective hires to polish their resumes, cover letters, and applications with the advanced tech.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2025
  • But Takaichi stood out for her rhetoric, vowing to crack down on rule-breaking visitors and immigrants.
    Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Usual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usual. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

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