Instead of taking a rest, he worked much harder than usual.
Source: tatoeba (19755)
Usual
/ˈju.ʒuəl/
Synonyms for "usual" (211 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (43)
Adjective(12 words)
commonaverage casecommon instancecommon prepositionscommon qualifiercommon termconventional beliefconventional ideacurrent normscustomary normscustomary practicecustomary procedure
acceptedaccustomedactualarrangedaveragebanalbesettingbourgeoisbusinesslikecentralcharacteristicchroniccommoncommonplaceconformableconsuetudinaryconventionalcorrectcurrentcustomary
Show 5 more words
Noun(6 words)
common anatomical featurecommon phrases in portuguesecommon physics conceptscommon practicedaily routine patternestablished pattern of behavior
Strong matches (63)
everydayexemplaryexpectedfamiliarformalfrequentfrequentativegardengarden varietygarden-varietygeneralgenerally acceptedgoinghabitualhackhackneyedharmonioushouseholdin handintermediary
Show 20 more words
intermediateinveteratemanymany timesmeanmedialmedianmediocremediummethodicalmiddle-classmiddle-of-the-roadmiddlingmoderatenaturalnaturalisticno great shakesnormnormalnormative
Adjective(14 words)
everyday activitieseveryday household itemseveryday natural languageeveryday objectseveryday routineseveryday taskgeneral conceptgeneral notionhabitual actionhabitual pattern of behaviorlexical frequencynormal force amountnormal functionnormal pattern
Noun(8 words)
mainstream societymath conventionmore customarymore normalmore ordinarymost customarynormal force conceptnormal forces
Adverb(1 words)
most frequent value
Related words (105)
not rareobtainingof common occurrenceoft-repeatedoftentimeoldorderedorderlyordinarypandemicperfunctoryplasticpopularpredictablepredominantpredominatingprescribedprescriptiveprevailingprevalent
Show 60 more words
properprosaicquintessentialrampantrealisticreceivedrecurrentregnantregularregulationreigningriferitualroutinerulingrun-of-minerun-of-the-millrunningsamesamplesetstandardstandingstaplesteadystereotypedstocksuburbansymmetricalsystematicthe commonthe commonplacethe normalthe ordinarythe usualthick-comingtime-honoredtraditionaltritetrue to formtrue to typetypaltypictypicalunexceptionaluniformunimaginativeuniversalunnoteworthyunoriginalunremarkableunspectacularvernacularwell-knownwell-orderedwell-regulatedwidespreadwontedworkadayworn out
Adjective(18 words)
Noun(6 words)
regular patternroutine activitiesroutine drillsomewhat commonthe most commontypical lesson example
Verb(1 words)
typify common traits
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: common, accepted, accustomed, actual, arranged.
- Sentence evidence is available for usual, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, 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 "usual".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "usual"
Keep "usual" 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 "usual" 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 "usual", 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 "usual" 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
3 entriesMore specific
4 entriesusual habitusual methodusual procedureusual routine
Collocations
5 entriesusual methodusual outcomeusual practiceusual procedureusual routine
Inflections
2 entriesmore usualmost usual
Derivations
2 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
10 entriesSample sentences
14 total sentences available.
The meeting ended earlier than usual.
Source: tatoeba (22503)
We walked more quickly than usual.
Source: tatoeba (23134)
In English, the usual sentence structure is Subject - Verb - Object/Complement.
Source: tatoeba (26309)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "usual"?
Closest matches include common, accepted, accustomed, actual, arranged.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "usual"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.