usually
Americanadverb
adverb
Synonym Usage
See often.
Etymology
Origin of usually
First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English; usual ( def. ) + -ly
Explanation
If you usually do something, that’s what you do on a normal day. Tonight you might be making a seven-course meal to celebrate your birthday, even though usually you just get take-out pizza. Usual comes from the word use, and implies "the most common use." A screwdriver usually drives screws into something, or takes them out. Unusually, you have strung your screwdriver on a chain and are wearing it as a necklace. You can also say usually to describe the normal state of things: "On New Year’s Eve, this usually quiet street erupts with noise."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I was also shocked by the number of no shows listed at Bury St Edmunds. Usually 30 per day! There should be a penalty for not turning up," she said.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
He added: "Usually in these tournaments, before technical matters, ethical and human considerations must be respected -- which I think for us it was not the case."
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
Usually, when the company launches an ad campaign, it’s to sell a new model or tout a deal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
Usually, eligibility is reserved for customers with at least $100,000 in certain assets at Fidelity.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
Usually I sketch in one of my Moleskine sketchbooks using either my Staedtler Mars pencils or charcoal, but for this one, I bought an 11 .
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
