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ordinarily

American  
[awr-dn-air-uh-lee, awr-dn-er-uh-lee] / ˌɔr dnˈɛər ə li, ˈɔr dnˌɛr ə li /

adverb

  1. most of the time; generally; usually.

    Ordinarily he wakes at seven.

  2. in an unexceptional manner or fashion; modestly.

    a wealthy child who was dressed ordinarily.

  3. to the usual extent; reasonably.

    to expect someone to be ordinarily honest.
ordinarily British  
/ ˈɔːdəˌnɛrɪlɪ, ˈɔːdənrɪlɪ /

adverb

  1. in ordinary, normal, or usual practice; usually; normally

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ordinarily

First recorded in 1525–35; ordinary + -ly

Vocabulary lists containing ordinarily

List 4

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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.

Ordinarily, in federal courts, a case begins in a federal district court.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2026

Ordinarily, I would have said, “Well, this is really hard to prove, and putting the finger on any individual is going to be very difficult.”

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

Ordinarily used as a community center, it was already outfitted with furniture and toys.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

Ordinarily we might have been anticipating a repeat of the thrilling showdown of the Old Course that played out in the heat of the 2022 Scottish summer.

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2025

Ordinarily, the windows wouldn’t last five minutes, but the windows of this house are boarded up with plywood.

From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli

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.