We are bored with the joke of professorial custom.
Source: tatoeba (23042)
Custom
/ˈkʌstəm/
Synonyms for "custom" (337 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (68)
Noun(19 words)
habitpracticetraditionusageaccepted ruleage oldancient traditionanniversary presentbespokebirthday traditioncelebrationschasitychurch ruleconstraintsconventioncultural normcultural normscultural practicecultural practice norms
actactionactionsactivityactsaddressaffectationairancient wisdomarchetypal mytharchetypal patternassembledautomatismbad habitbearingbehaviorbehavior patternbehavioral normbehavioral sciencebienseance
Show 26 more words
bon tonbuiltbusinesscanoncarriagecarriage tradecastcharacteristiccivilityclientageclientelecommon lawcomportmentconductconformityconstructedconsuetudeconvenanceconventionconventional usageconventionalismconventionalitycorrectnesscraftedcreatedcreature of habit
Adjective(3 words)
administrative traditioncommon lawscultural legacy
Strong matches (101)
Adjective(13 words)
cultural traditioncurrent normscustom-madecustomary practicedutch praktijkethnographic cultural practicefrench institutionhabitual pattern of behaviorhabitual ritualinformal normsinformal ruleliturgical lawliturgical rule
Noun(27 words)
cultural traditionscultural traitculture traditionscustomary law normscustomary lawscustomarynesscustomscustoms dutydutyestablished pattern of behavioretiquette modulefaiwo traditionfamily gatheringfashionfolk traditionfolkwaygenuflectiongroovegroup traditionhabits
culture patterncustom madecustom-builtcustom-madecustomsdecencydecorousnessdecorumdemeanordeportmentdoingdoingsduesdutyespeciallyetiquetteexciseexclusivelyexpresslyextracted
Show 40 more words
fabricatedfashionfashionedfixturefolk motiffolklorefolktalefolkwayforce of habitforgedformformalityformedgatheredgesturegesturesgoings ongoings-ongood formgood namegoodwillgrownguisehabithabit patternhabitudehandcraftedhandmadeharvestedhaute couturehigh fashionhomemadehomespunimmemorial usageimpostinstitutionlawlegendlevylore
Verb(1 words)
establish a tradition
Related words (168)
machine mademachine-mademachinedmademade to ordermaintienman mademan-mademannermannersmanufacturedmarketmatter of coursemethodmethodologymethodsmienmilledminedmishnah
Show 99 more words
modemodus vivendimoldmoldedmoresmotionsmovementsmovesmythmythologynew lookobservable behaviorobservanceparticularlypatronagepatternpeculiaritypoisepolicyportposeposturepracticepraxisprecedentpreceptprefabprefabricatedprescriptionpresenceprevailing tasteprocedureproceedingprocessedproper thingproprietypublicpurchasing publicput togetherracial memoryraisedready madeready-for-wearready-formedready-madeready-preparedready-to-wearrefinedreputeriteritualroutinerubricrulerural marketsecond natureseemlinessshapedsmeltedsocial conventionsocial sciencesocial usagespeciallyspiritus mundistereotypestereotyped behaviorstream of fashionstylesuburban marketsunnasupportswimtacticstailor-madetalmudtarifftaxtendencyto ordertolltonetradetraditiontraditionalismtraditionalitytraffictrendtrickusageusevoguewayway of lifewayswell-builtwell-constructedwell-madewontyouth market
Noun(39 words)
Adjective(10 words)
mathematical normsofficial protocolpredictable pattern of behaviorrecurring pattern of behaviorsocial customsocial practicestraditional cultural practiceunwritten instrumentunwritten normsunwritten practices
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: habit, practice, tradition, usage, accepted rule.
- Sentence evidence is available for custom, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, opengloss, wordnet, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "custom".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "custom"
Keep "custom" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "custom" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "custom", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "custom" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
15 entriesMore specific
9 entriesCollocations
11 entriescultural customcustom approachcustom curriculumcustom instructioncustom materialscustom plancustom-made resourcesfamily customlocal customlongstanding customsocial custom
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
7 entriessimilar
6 entriesTranslations
6 translations across 6 languages.
Dutch
1 entries- klandizie noun (habitual buying of goods from one same vendor)
Estonian
1 entries- harjumus noun (habitual buying of goods from one same vendor)
Finnish
1 entries- asiakkuus noun (habitual buying of goods from one same vendor)
French
1 entries- chalandise noun (habitual buying of goods from one same vendor)
German
1 entries- Gewohnheit noun (habitual buying of goods from one same vendor)
Irish
1 entries- custam noun (habitual buying of goods from one same vendor)
Sample sentences
35 total sentences available.
It is our custom to take off our shoes when we enter the house.
Source: tatoeba (24199)
Such a bad custom should be done away with.
Source: tatoeba (41419)
We have to do away with such a bad custom.
Source: tatoeba (41421)
Showing 4 of 35 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "custom"?
Closest matches include habit, practice, tradition, usage, accepted rule.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "custom"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.