Definition of usualnext
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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

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
Whether the day-to-day lives of superstars is your usual form of entertainment or not, there are some events that are impossible to escape even with minimal screen time. Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Apr. 2026 Nine picks in, nine picks out The Vikings were less active on the trade market than usual, though the Greenard deal was the headline of the weekend. Dave Campbell, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
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
  • Reportedly, this new design also outperformed conventional systems by reducing active material leakage.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The paramilitary guard will take over security duties currently performed by conventional military forces.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Sneaky Jon Cooper The Bolts showed their normal forward lines in pregame warmups, but then had other ideas once the puck dropped Friday night.
    Arpon Basu, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
  • All need normal care to become established, are freeze resistant and make durable plants for the landscape.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Yet across prewar co-ops and walk-ups that haven’t seen a renovation since Ed Koch was mayor, the stainless steel panel listing each unit next to a tiny, round button remains ubiquitous.
    New York Times, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • In this one, the book advance probably immunizes Vance from charges and temptations of Washington’s ubiquitous graft.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Like his perceptive doc about Joy Division, Everybody Digs Bill Evans is about the ordinary that feeds the extraordinary and leaves us to figure out the rest for ourselves.
    Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
  • At first glance, there was nothing out of the ordinary about Saturday’s wind forecast for Camas Prairie, Idaho.
    Ruby Mellen, Washington Post, 6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The president has long bristled at the otherwise customary joking at his expense by celebrity comedians.
    Dennis Romero, NBC news, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2026.
    Jem Aswad, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Safonov, who began his football career in Krasnodar’s academy aged 12, is not your typical footballer.
    Tom Burrows, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Performing new music at the Williamsburg, Brooklyn, bar’s long-running open mic is just a typical Sunday night for him and many other patrons.
    Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Doral Police Chief Edwin Lopez is a lead contender to replace Morales, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
    Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
  • This takes the Hylian magic of Nintendo’s long-running RPG game and brings it to the modern gamer in ways both familiar and unique.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • But with the lottery alterations, trades and free agency again will return to a forefront that allowed the Heat to return to the forefront for the majority of these three decades of Riley rule.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
  • He was removed from the assignments last month in what his spokesperson said was a procedural move under House rules following his party change.
    Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Usual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usual. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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