CUSTOMARY Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

customary

adjective

ˈkə-stə-ˌmer-ē

Definition of customary

as in usual

accepted, used, or practiced by most people the customary response to the greeting "How are you?" is "Fine, thanks"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in traditional

based on customs usually handed down from a previous generation the customary toasting of the bride and groom at their wedding reception

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 Flanagan’s customary whip pans are here to surprise us with characters lurking outside the frame, but this isn’t a story with many external supernatural threats, and tension doesn’t build. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026 The customary counter and high chairs that once held pecan waffles and smothered hash browns have been replaced with a long bodega-style service counter. — Sheeka Sanahori, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026 And that sum excludes marketing and promotional expenses, as is customary for budgetary estimations. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2026 Defending champion India continued its T20 dominance over archrival Pakistan with a 19-run victory to win the gold medal at the Asian Games men’s cricket event with players again avoiding customary handshakes Saturday. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for customary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for customary

Adjective

The products were Park Hyatt’s usual—delicious-smelling La Labo toiletries.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
There’s deals on makeup, too, like the Ilia Limitless Mascara at 20% off for just $23 compared to its usual $30.

— Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of usual

Adjective

The conversation also addressed AI, with Velazquez comparing current anxieties to earlier fears that computer animation and motion capture would eliminate traditional animation jobs.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
Fans care about rivalries among teams made up of students who generally progress through college and exhaust their eligibility alongside their classmates, rather than athletes whose college careers extend well beyond the traditional timeline.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of traditional

Adjective

Aside from its visual distinctiveness, red diesel shares an identical chemical composition with conventional highway diesel.

— , CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
The capability needed to run AI at studio level will not be found solely within the conventional media and entertainment system.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of conventional

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

Definition of prevailing

Adjective

The Social Security Trustees project that the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, which pays retirement and survivor benefits, will deplete its reserves in the fourth quarter of 2032 under current law.

— Ray R. Harris, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Le and her husband purchased their current location at 903 South Federal Blvd.

— Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of current

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customarily

customary

custom-built

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“Customary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/customary. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of customary

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