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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
Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented, with Alito complaining that his colleagues had departed from their usual practices and seemingly decided issues without an appeals court weighing in. Mark Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025 California is on the cusp of wildfire season, which experts warn could be worse than usual. Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 16 May 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
  • Its two sister variants—the F-35A and F-35C—are designed for operations from conventional runways and aircraft carriers, respectively.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025
  • Sorry to break it to the rest of the industry, but Aston Martin’s design team is still cooking with gas, fire, conventional weapons, atomic bombs, etc.
    Jonny Lieberman, Robb Report, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • Command that eluded McCullers across his first two appearances started to creep back toward normal.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 17 May 2025
  • Instead, the year quickly fell into a pattern that has become all too familiar for the local industry when the hopes that things might finally return to normal were squandered yet again by an unprecedented, devastating event.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 17 May 2025
Adjective
  • This is story about untangling the mysteries as to why something so ubiquitous – and seemingly endless – could be on the cusp of disappearing entirely.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 13 May 2025
  • Beyond the fact that using AI tools to write is generally frowned upon and considered to be unethical, AI writing has become so ubiquitous that using AI or modeling one’s work off of it is a surefire way to make your materials blend into a sea of other cookie-cutter essays.
    Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 13 May 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
  • The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.
    Ryan Browne, CNBC, 15 May 2025
  • Trump removed his shoes during his visit, as is customary in mosques, and was escorted by Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi.
    Aya Batrawy, NPR, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • Social Security payments are set to go out May 14 – a few days later than is typical.
    Mike Snider, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • Dawson's Creek was also known for covering heavy issues like mental health, death and homophobia among typical teenage fare like prom dates, new friends and first love.
    Benjamin VanHoose, People.com, 14 May 2025
Adjective
  • Some of this uncertainty is coming from familiar sources, and some from new developments.
    Amanda Tickel, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
  • With three birdies also added on the card, Scheffler walked into the clubhouse with a familiar position on the leaderboard at a major.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2025
Noun
  • Israeli military rule would last nearly four decades, during which Hamas emerged as a splinter of the Muslim Brotherhood movement in the 1980s, until a 2005 disengagement.
    Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
  • Under current Department of Education rules, PSLF eligibility depends on working full-time for a qualifying employer, primarily government agencies or 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
    Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Usual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usual. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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