Usual is used to describe what happens or what is done most often in a particular situation.
It is a neighborhood beset by all the usual inner-city problems.
She's smiling her usual friendly smile.
After lunch there was a little more clearing up to do than usual.
We've had more press coverage in the last three weeks than in the usual three years.
It is usual to tip waiters, porters, guides and drivers.
Synonyms: normal, customary, regular, expected More Synonyms of usual
Usual is also a noun.
The barman appeared to take their order. 'Good morning, sir. The usual?'
2.
See as usual
3.
See as usual
4. business as usual
usual in British English
(ˈjuːʒʊəl)
adjective
1.
of the most normal, frequent, or regular type; customary
that's the usual sort of application to send
noun
2.
ordinary or commonplace events (esp in the phrase out of the usual)
3. the usual
Derived forms
usualness (ˈusualness)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Late Latin ūsuālis ordinary, from Latin ūsususe
usual in American English
(ˈjuʒəwəl; ˈjuzhwəl)
adjective
such as is in common or ordinary use; such as is most often seen, heard, used, etc.; common; ordinary; customary
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈnormal
Idioms:
as usual
SYNONYMY NOTE: usual applies to that which past experience has shown to be the normal, common, hence expectedthing [the usual results, price, answer, etc.]; customary refers to that which accords with the usual practices of some individual or withthe prevailing customs of some group [his customary mid-morning coffee, it was customary to dress for dinner]; habitual implies a fixed practice as the result of habit [her habitual tardiness]; wonted is a somewhat literary equivalent for , customary or , habitual [according to their wonted manner]; accustomed is equivalent to , customary but suggests less strongly a settled custom [he sat in his accustomed place]
OPPOSITES: extraordinary, unusual
Derived forms
usually (ˈusually)
adverb
usualness (ˈusualness)
noun
Word origin
ME < MFr < LL usualis < L usus: see use
More idioms containing
usual
business as usual
Examples of 'usual' in a sentence
usual
The usual recovery time for such an injury is six to nine months.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is not the usual way of things; not here.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We normally just go to the usual party cities that most British people go to.
The Sun (2016)
In keeping with usual practice, the intelligence gained from the images had been examined with other information.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You may have to put in a little more work than usual in some cases but it's worth the effort.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His usual number is irrelevant.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There he will remain, unless he is ejected from the show in the usual way by joint edict of judges and viewers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This isn’t the usual case of IT being told off for not talking business language.
Computing (2010)
If we'd played to our usual standards we'd have had three points.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Foreign investors also turned out in larger numbers than usual to buy the UK government debt in another vote of confidence in the economy.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Some areas have seen double the usual number of cases this year.
The Sun (2015)
It was so unlike his usual running style and looked worryingly lacklustre.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Magazine was its usual mixture of serious and flippant.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Eve brings his usual intense concentration to the part.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It became the usual practice in the fifth and sixth centuries.
Christianity Today (2000)
Twice the usual number of people flocked to catch a glimpse of the pair.
The Sun (2009)
The competition maintains its usual standard then.
The Sun (2011)
His usual mix of solid blue chips looked pretty pedestrian beside my more exotic naps.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
This means that he weighed ten times his usual weight.
The Sun (2011)
The usual way of measuring labour productivity is output per hour.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They asked for medicines and soup and maintained the usual routine.
Deborah Cadbury THE LOST KING OF FRANCE: Revolution, Revenge and the Search for Louis XVII (2002)
As usual with this style of restaurant you get an interesting meal for a reasonable price.
Brown, Sarah Sarah Brown's Vegetarian London (1988)
It was my usual mixture of whimsy and wariness.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Easter brings its usual moments of quiet reflection and thanks for what we all have.
The Sun (2012)
The grounds were quiet because only half the usual number of tickets had been sold.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Conversation around the coffee machine must surely be a cut above the usual standard?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
An ingenious story that mixes the usual dastardly deception with paranormal pranks.
The Sun (2007)
That is four times the usual density.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Shampoo and rinse your hair in the usual way.
Guyton, Anita The Natural Beauty Book - cruelty-free cosmetics to make at home (1991)
The usual pattern goes something like this.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
My route to getting published is not your usual case of using the internet to further your writing career.
The Sun (2010)
The usual case is a great national emergency, in which the worker sees himself contributing to a cause.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGEMENT: task, responsibilities, practices (1974)
In other languages
usual
British English: usual /ˈjuːʒʊəl/ ADJECTIVE
Usual is used to describe what happens or what is done most often in a particular situation.
The police officer asked the usual questions.
American English: usual
Arabic: مُعْتاد
Brazilian Portuguese: comum
Chinese: 通常的
Croatian: uobičajen
Czech: obvyklý
Danish: sædvanlig
Dutch: gewoonlijk
European Spanish: usual
Finnish: tavallinen
French: habituel
German: üblich
Greek: συνηθισμένος
Italian: solito
Japanese: 普通の
Korean: 보통의
Norwegian: vanlig
Polish: zwykły
European Portuguese: comum
Romanian: obișnuit
Russian: обычный
Latin American Spanish: usual
Swedish: vanlig
Thai: เป็นปรกติ
Turkish: alışılagelmiş
Ukrainian: звичайний
Vietnamese: thông thường
All related terms of 'usual'
as usual
You use as usual to indicate that you are describing something that normally happens or that is normally the case .
the usual
the habitual or usual drink, meal , etc
usual way
If you refer to a way of doing something, you are referring to how you can do it, for example the action you can take or the method you can use to achieve it.
usual trick
A trick is a clever way of doing something.
as per usual
as usual
business as usual
In a difficult situation , if you say it is business as usual , you mean that people will continue doing what they normally do.
the usual suspects
A suspect is a person who the police or authorities think may be guilty of a crime .
Chinese translation of 'usual'
usual
(ˈjuːʒuəl)
adj
[time, place etc]惯(慣)常的 (guàncháng de)
as usual (= as normally happens) 像往常一样(樣) (xiàng wǎngcháng yīyàng) (= just the same) 像平常一样(樣) (xiàng píngcháng yīyàng)
warmer/colder than usual比平常暖和/冷 (bǐ píngcháng nuǎnhuo/lěng)
it is usual to tip waiters给(給)侍者小费(費)是很平常的 (gěi shìzhě xiǎofèi shì hěn píngcháng de)
(adjective)
Definition
of the most normal, frequent, or regular type
She's smiling her usual, friendly smile.
Synonyms
normal
The two countries have resumed normal diplomatic relations.
The hospital claimed they were simply following their normal procedure.
customary
It is customary to offer a drink or a snack to guests.
regular
Children are encouraged to make reading a regular routine.
expected
general
This book is intended for the general reader rather than the student.
common
Earthquakes are fairly common in this part of the world.
stock
They supply stock sizes outside the middle range.
standard
It was standard practice for them to advise in cases of murder.
fixed
ordinary
It was just an ordinary day for us.
familiar
They are already familiar faces on our TV screens.
typical
typical pastimes such as watching films and reading
constant
routine
a series of routine medical tests
everyday
an exhilarating escape from the drudgery of everyday life
accustomed
He took up his accustomed position at the fire.
habitual
He soon recovered his habitual geniality.
bog-standard (British, Irish, slang)
wonted
Opposites
rare
,
unusual
,
extraordinary
,
new
,
novel
,
strange
,
unique
,
unexpected
,
exceptional
,
peculiar
,
uncommon
,
singular
,
unorthodox
,
out of the ordinary
,
off-beat
,
unhackneyed
Additional synonyms
in the sense of accustomed
Definition
usual or customary
He took up his accustomed position at the fire.
Synonyms
usual,
established,
expected,
general,
common,
standard,
set,
traditional,
normal,
fixed,
regular,
ordinary,
familiar,
conventional,
routine,
everyday,
customary,
habitual,
wonted
in the sense of common
Definition
frequently encountered
Earthquakes are fairly common in this part of the world.
Synonyms
usual,
standard,
daily,
regular,
ordinary,
familiar,
plain,
conventional,
routine,
frequent,
everyday,
customary,
commonplace,
vanilla (slang),
habitual,
run-of-the-mill,
humdrum,
stock,
workaday,
bog-standard (British, Irish, slang),
a dime a dozen
in the sense of customary
Definition
usual
It is customary to offer a drink or a snack to guests.
Synonyms
usual,
general,
common,
accepted,
established,
traditional,
normal,
ordinary,
familiar,
acknowledged,
conventional,
routine,
everyday
Synonyms of 'usual'
usual
Explore 'usual' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of everyday
Definition
suitable for or used on ordinary days
an exhilarating escape from the drudgery of everyday life
Synonyms
ordinary,
common,
usual,
familiar,
conventional,
routine,
dull,
stock,
accustomed,
customary,
commonplace,
mundane,
vanilla (slang),
banal,
habitual,
run-of-the-mill,
unimaginative,
workaday,
unexceptional,
bog-standard (British, Irish, slang),
common or garden (informal),
dime-a-dozen (informal),
wonted
in the sense of familiar
Definition
frequent or common
They are already familiar faces on our TV screens.
Synonyms
well-known,
household,
everyday,
recognized,
common,
stock,
domestic,
repeated,
ordinary,
conventional,
routine,
frequent,
accustomed,
customary,
mundane,
recognizable,
common or garden (informal)
in the sense of general
Definition
not specialized or specializing
This book is intended for the general reader rather than the student.
Synonyms
ordinary,
regular,
usual,
typical,
conventional,
everyday,
customary
in the sense of habitual
Definition
done regularly and repeatedly
He soon recovered his habitual geniality.
Synonyms
customary,
normal,
usual,
common,
standard,
natural,
traditional,
fixed,
regular,
ordinary,
familiar,
routine,
accustomed,
wonted
in the sense of ordinary
Definition
usual or normal
It was just an ordinary day for us.
Synonyms
usual,
standard,
normal,
common,
established,
settled,
regular,
familiar,
household,
typical,
conventional,
routine,
stock,
everyday,
prevailing,
accustomed,
customary,
habitual,
quotidian,
wonted
in the sense of regular
Definition
following a set rule or normal practice
Children are encouraged to make reading a regular routine.
Synonyms
normal,
common,
established,
usual,
ordinary,
typical,
routine,
everyday,
customary,
commonplace,
habitual,
unvarying
in the sense of routine
Definition
relating to or characteristic of routine
a series of routine medical tests
Synonyms
usual,
standard,
normal,
customary,
ordinary,
familiar,
typical,
conventional,
everyday,
habitual,
workaday,
wonted
in the sense of standard
Definition
of a usual, medium, or accepted kind
It was standard practice for them to advise in cases of murder.
Synonyms
usual,
normal,
customary,
set,
stock,
average,
popular,
basic,
regular,
typical,
prevailing,
orthodox,
staple,
one-size-fits-all
in the sense of stock
Definition
staple
They supply stock sizes outside the middle range.
Synonyms
regular,
traditional,
usual,
basic,
ordinary,
conventional,
staple,
customary
in the sense of typical
Definition
being or serving as a representative example of a particular type
typical pastimes such as watching films and reading