wonted

Synonym Chooser

How is the word wonted distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of wonted are accustomed, customary, habitual, and usual. While all these words mean "familiar through frequent or regular repetition," wonted stresses habituation but usually applies to what is favored, sought, or purposefully cultivated.

his wonted determination

How is accustomed related to other words for wonted?

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 wonted?

The meanings of customary and wonted largely overlap; however, 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

Where would habitual be a reasonable alternative to wonted?

While in some cases nearly identical to wonted, habitual suggests a practice settled or established by much repetition.

a habitual morning routine

When could usual be used to replace wonted?

Although the words usual and wonted have much in common, usual stresses the absence of strangeness or unexpectedness.

my usual order for lunch

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 wonted His wonted improvisations and other departures from the script did not suggest his usual ease. Matthew Walther, TheWeek, 13 Mar. 2020 Egypt chose a different path, preferring to return to the wonted pain of dysfunctional autocracy and avoid civil war (although civil war seems even still to be creeping up on the Egyptians out of Sinai and Libya). Kenneth M. Pollack, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wonted
Adjective
  • Patrick Iversen will be back with our usual twice-weekly newsletter releases from next week. F1 2025’s Remaining Themes The biggest talking points of the season run-in 1.
    Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
  • The eat-in kitchen has your usual niceties — a stainless-steel farmhouse sink, quartz counters, a walk-in pantry — while the three bedrooms upstairs all are comfortably sized.
    Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The deal, subject to customary closing conditions, will see SoftBank acquire Intel common stock at $23 apiece, according to the statement.
    Yue Wang, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
  • The show is currently on its summertime hiatus, customary among the late night circuit as the hosts take some time off.
    EW.com, EW.com, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The big names brought national attention to the theft ring, but other targets slipped by the news media, just as an ordinary burglary might.
    Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 25 Aug. 2025
  • The result: bright spaces designed to uplift students in moments as ordinary as going to the bathroom.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Its operations depended entirely on conventional aircraft and traditional surveillance systems.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
  • The Cost Of Status Quo Management SQMs often thrive in structured, very predictable environments where rules are defined and risks are minimized for conventional circumstances.
    Venkat Rao, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • What once felt like science fiction is soon going to become totally normal.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Boeing’s uncrewed spacecraft fits in normal rocket fairings, or nosecones, and has flown five times on United Launch Alliance Atlas V rockets, once on SpaceX Falcon 9 and once on Falcon Heavy.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Losing fingernails over special teams is commonplace in the NFL.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 Aug. 2025
  • What feels radical today—AI handling most initial alert triage—may be commonplace in just a few years.
    Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • On a typical weekday, only two of them are occupied, though when the campus is crowded for, say, a football game day, they can all be staffed simultaneously.
    John Wisely, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2025
  • In typical Red Bull fashion, the team began the race weekend with palpable pessimism regarding the RB21, struggling with the setups and looking more like an upper-midfield car than a race-fighting one.
    Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The oversized racing bodywork played seamlessly with Lichtenstein’s characteristic thick black lines and bold colors.
    Trinity Francis, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • This plant is recognizable by its characteristic arrangement of leaves growing in groups of three with edges that vary from smooth to jagged.
    Christopher P. Holstege, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wonted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wonted. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on wonted

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