USUAL Synonyms: 154 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

usual 1 of 2

adjective

ˈyü-zhə-wəl

Definition of usual next

as in conventional

accepted, used, or practiced by most people that's not the usual method, but it works

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in normal

being of the type that is encountered in the normal course of events the characters in this novel are drawn with greater depth than is usual for a work of science fiction

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as in ubiquitous

often observed or encountered the usual reaction to the sight of the falls is one of absolute awe

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usual

2 of 2

noun

as in ordinary

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Melendez started his swing as usual but failed to cover the bottom half of the plate. —

Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2025 This tax season is rife with uncertainty, as the world’s richest person looks to shake up the Internal Revenue Service and the commerce secretary calls to eliminate it — but filers still need to carry on as usual, tax experts say. —

Alexandra Byrne, NBC News, 20 Feb. 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

There was no conventional way to insert the centre-forward Arsenal had been so painfully lacking in the first 69 minutes of the match.

— Jordan Campbell, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
But a truly effective Iron Dome system is hard to imagine without a laser component, given the high-speed nature and possibilities of being overwhelmed and running out of conventional air defense missiles.

— James Stavridis, The Mercury News, 15 Feb. 2025