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

Example Sentences

Although the cease-fire appears to be largely holding, traffic at the key waterway remains mostly blocked as only eight ships crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, far below the usual 135 daily transits.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Scotland and England fans face paying more than four times the usual prices for train tickets when they travel to World Cup group-stage matches in Boston.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

We are veering from our usual approach because USO’s extreme premiums seem unlikely to decline soon—which makes selling the puts quite attractive.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Even before the announcement of the cease-fire, current and former Fed officials have suggested that a quick resolution wouldn’t necessarily mean the Fed would return immediately to business as usual.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

I could hear Tansy in my head, telling me how I’d left everything to the last minute as usual.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Related Words

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