Definition of customarynext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word customary distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of customary are accustomed, habitual, usual, and wonted. While all these words mean "familiar through frequent or regular repetition," 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

How does the word accustomed relate to other synonyms for customary?

Accustomed is less emphatic than wonted or habitual in suggesting fixed habit or invariable custom.

accepted the compliment with her accustomed modesty

When is it sensible to use habitual instead of customary?

In some situations, the words habitual and customary are roughly equivalent. However, habitual suggests a practice settled or established by much repetition.

a habitual morning routine

When might usual be a better fit than customary?

While the synonyms usual and customary are close in meaning, usual stresses the absence of strangeness or unexpectedness.

my usual order for lunch

When is wonted a more appropriate choice than customary?

The meanings of wonted and customary largely overlap; however, 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 customary As is customary, membership remains a matter of sponsorship rather than application, administered across the Academy’s 19 branches and a single membership classification. Clayton Davis, Variety, 24 June 2026 The company uses long-term contracts that mimic regulated returns, avoiding the fluctuations customary in deregulated markets. Conor Harrison, Fortune, 23 June 2026 Non-religious on-field huddles are also customary in soccer and elsewhere. Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 23 June 2026 In year three, the customary gift is leather, because by then a couple should really know each other’s kinks. Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for customary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for customary
Adjective
  • And because of the extreme concentration of wealth, the market’s rally is much more significant to the economy than usual — for good and bad.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
  • In fact, Iran has no intention of going back to business as usual in the strait, Noam Raydan, senior fellow at the Washington Institute think tank, wrote in a blog post on Friday.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 28 June 2026
Adjective
  • But the shift underscores a dramatic loss of clout by Comcast and other traditional media enterprises.
    Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • While the crowds spent their money on an overheated summer in the Mediterranean, a quieter group is waiting patiently for September, October and November, the traditional shoulder season.
    Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Adjective
  • But cruise missiles are more versatile in conventional warfare.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026
  • The majority of Georgian wine reaching export markets is made in what producers call the European style — stainless steel fermentation, conventional winemaking, easily approachable.
    Michelle Williams, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy.
    Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Research by Justin Mankin, a Dartmouth geography associate professor, found current forecasts imply the 2026-2027 El Niño could be the costliest yet.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 25 June 2026
  • Independent music critic Molly Mary O’Brien noted how the early-to-mid-’90s period that produced the original iteration of pop-punk fashion, and the current moment Rodrigo now operates within, are vastly different.
    Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Customary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/customary. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

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