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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
But when the store is targeted in a Black Friday heist and Bill’s dead body is found dressed as Santa, on display in the showroom, the death comes with a more personal significance than usual. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 5 June 2025 The British Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside usual London business hours on the Russian accusations. Reuters, NBC news, 5 June 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
  • The image - more grainy than conventional high-resolution photographs and in black and white - appears to show the debris of several aircraft located along the runway of the Belaya military air base or parked in protective revetments nearby.
    Tom Balmforth, USA Today, 5 June 2025
  • For more details on the nature of conventional AI versus AGI and ASI, see my analysis at the link here.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • At the World Championships, Metcalfe saw a competitor achieve a 100kg deadlift and decided to push herself beyond her normal limits.
    Andy Frye, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • In normal circumstances, the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act barring U.S. soldiers from acting like law enforcement in the U.S. But the Insurrection Act, first enacted in 1792, allows the president to deploy the military inside the U.S. to help civilian law enforcement with law enforcement duties.
    Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • Reflective writing, another recent trend, is practically ubiquitous in medical schools and residency programs, and there is some evidence that writing may make doctors more empathetic and observant.
    Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025
  • Smart lawn mowers certainly aren't as ubiquitous as their indoor, floor-cleaning counterparts, and there are several good reasons for that.
    John Mihaly, PC Magazine, 6 June 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
  • Perez would take his customary spot batting cleanup behind whoever was in front of him.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2025
  • The unintentionally comical effect of that interview created an impression of a young player whose head was tethered to his shoulders with less than customary tightness.
    Tom Williams, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • This choice allows the plants to make maximum use of the soil's water and nutrients resources, particularly important in the poor soils and arid climates typical of Apulia.
    Elisabetta Tosi, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • Ordinarily, between 1,700 and 2,000 job orders are posted during a typical day shift, and between 1,100 and 1,400 are posted during a standard night shift.
    Caroline Petrow-Cohen, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • Those travels led him to familiar favorites in his old San Francisco stomping grounds, reliable stalwarts that define our wide-ranging regions, and a spate of new openings quickly earning nationwide accolades.
    Danielle Dorsey, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
  • Now, the No. 4-seed Fort Lauderdale United FC will face a familiar foe: the Tampa Bay Sun FC.
    Kaitlyn Pohly, Miami Herald, 12 June 2025
Noun
  • Though this deal brings some uniformity to the rules, states still have separate laws regarding how NIL can be doled out, which could lead to legal challenges.
    Eddie Pells, Baltimore Sun, 7 June 2025
  • Supporters say the new rules are necessary to keep California on track for its climate goals.
    Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Usual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usual. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.

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