usual

American  

[yoo-zhoo-uhl, yoozh-wuhl] / ˈyu ʒu əl, ˈyuʒ wəl /

adjective

1. habitual or customary.

   her usual skill.

   Synonyms:

   accustomed

2. commonly met with or observed in experience; ordinary.

   the usual January weather.

   Synonyms:

   regular, familiar, prevalent, prevailing, general

3. commonplace; everyday.

   He says the usual things.

   Synonyms:

   predictable

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noun

1. something that is usual.

   He could expect only the usual.

idioms

1. as usual, in the customary or usual manner.

   As usual, he forgot my birthday.

usual British  

/ ˈjuːʒʊəl /

adjective

1. of the most normal, frequent, or regular type; customary

   that's the usual sort of application to send

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noun

1. ordinary or commonplace events (esp in the phrase out of the usual )

2. informal the habitual or usual drink, meal, etc

usual More Idioms  

1. see as usual; business as usual.

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Related Words

Usual, customary, habitual refer to a settled and constant practice. Usual indicates something that is to be expected by reason of previous experience, which shows it to occur more often than not: There were the usual crowds at the celebration. Something that is customary is in accordance with prevailing usage or individual practice: It is customary to finish up with a bonfire. That which is habitual has become settled or constant as the result of habit on the part of the individual: The merchants wore habitual smiles throughout the season.

Other Word Forms

• usually adverb
• usualness noun

Etymology

Origin of usual

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin ūsuālis, equivalent to Latin ūsu-, stem of ūsus “use” ( use (noun)) + -ālis -al ¹; compare Old French usuel

Explanation

If a customer at a restaurant orders their usual, it means they're ordering the same thing they always get — nothing new, unexpected, or out of the ordinary. How's this? The word usual describes things that happen regularly or follow a familiar pattern. If you take the same route to school every day, that’s your usual way there. Usual can also apply to habits. For example, if you check the mail at the same time every day, then you have a usual time for checking the mail. Anything that is typical, regularly occurring, or expected can be described as usual.

Example Sentences

Rattlesnakes, which are typically most active in spring and summer, appear to have been drawn out earlier than usual this year as the Southland experienced the hottest March on record.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Then-Attorney General Pam Bondi chose Thomas Albus, whom Trump had appointed as U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, to prosecute the case even though it fell far outside his usual regional jurisdiction.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

Many lawmakers remain skeptical however that the chamber will act as soon as this week -- especially on Swalwell, whose case has only just surfaced and has not yet gone through the usual internal process.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

The distance between these "pearls" closely matches the usual spacing between nucleoids.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

Zara, as usual, gets through the crowd faster than me.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• constant
• conventional
• current
• customary
• everyday
• expected
• familiar
• frequent
• natural
• normal
• prevailing
• regular
• routine