usual

1 of 2

adjective

usu·​al ˈyü-zhə-wəl How to pronounce usual (audio)
-zhəl;
ˈyüzh-wəl
1
: accordant with usage, custom, or habit : normal
2
: commonly or ordinarily used
followed his usual route
3
: found in ordinary practice or in the ordinary course of events : ordinary
usualness
ˈyü-zhə-wəl-nəs How to pronounce usual (audio)
-zhəl-;
ˈyüzh-wəl-
noun

usual

2 of 2

noun

: something usual
Phrases
as usual
: in the accustomed or habitual way
as usual they were late
Choose the Right Synonym for usual

usual, customary, habitual, wonted, accustomed mean familiar through frequent or regular repetition.

usual stresses the absence of strangeness or unexpectedness.

my usual order for lunch

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

habitual suggests a practice settled or established by much repetition.

a habitual morning routine

wonted stresses habituation but usually applies to what is favored, sought, or purposefully cultivated.

his wonted determination

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

accepted the compliment with her accustomed modesty

Examples of usual in a Sentence

Adjective She charges less than the usual fee. He took his usual route to work. the usual method for preparing chili She is not my usual doctor. It's usual to charge a fee for delivery. It's not usual for him to get home so late.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adjective
Comcast found a way to get it past its usual challenges of consumers leaving its cable offerings and getting people to visit its theme parks: the Olympics. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 31 Oct. 2024 Many Midwestern cities, too, are expected to see temperatures 10 to 30 degrees warmer than usual for this time of year. Randi Richardson, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
Kale, collards and chard are my usuals for braising, because that’s what’s usually in the CSA box. Melissa Clark, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024 Kale, collards and chard are my usuals for braising, because that’s what’s usually in the C.S.A. box. Melissa Clark, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for usual 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French usuel, from Late Latin usualis, from Latin usus use

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of usual was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near usual

Cite this Entry

“Usual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/usual. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

usual

adjective
usu·​al
ˈyüzh-(ə-)wəl,
ˈyüzh-əl
: done, found, or used in the ordinary course of events : normal, regular
less than the usual fee
the usual route to work
usually
ˈyüzh-(ə-)wə-lē
ˈyüzh-(ə-)lē
 in rapid speech  ˈyüz-lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on usual

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