ordinarily

adverb

or·​di·​nar·​i·​ly ˌȯr-də-ˈner-ə-lē 

: in an ordinary manner or to an ordinary extent: such as

a

: in the ordinary course of events : usually

She was ordinarily very busy in the morning.

the jobs ordinarily handled by junior staff members

… cortisol, a hormone which ordinarily comes into play in situations of bodily stress …

—Maggie Scarf

Ordinarily, the immune system of any mammal will work to fight off a fungal parasite.

—David Quammen

b

: to the usual extent : moderately

It must suffice for him to be ordinarily honest according to the ordinary honesty of the world's ways …

—Anthony Trollope

c

: in a commonplace or inferior way : without distinction

A friend of mine … has two apartments on the 3rd floor, very ordinarily furnished …

—Walt Whitman

Synonyms

• commonly
• generally
• natch [slang]
• naturally
• normally
• typically
• usually

Examples of ordinarily in a Sentence

ordinarily, I get off work at five, but this week I'm working late to meet a project deadline

Recent Examples on the Web

Great need can also reduce an ordinarily calm and reflective hunter to a gibbering imbecile. —Jack O’Connor, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2024

Among the marks found were simple circles that ordinarily would have been expected to have a six petal design inside — known as a hexafoil — to trap demons. —Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 29 Oct. 2024

Emily Kask Haleigh Meyers is not the type of person to ordinarily open herself to strangers and share intimate details about her life. —Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2024

This approach can turn the ordinarily mundane chore of protecting one’s identity into an interactive and enjoyable experience that users actively engage in. - Cristian Randieri, Intellisystem Technologies 17. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above