CUSTOM Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'custom' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of custom are habit , practice , usage , and wont . While all these words mean "a way of acting fixed through repetition," custom applies to a practice or usage so steadily associated with an individual or group as to have almost the force of unwritten law. // the custom of wearing black at funerals

Q: When can 'habit' be used instead of 'custom'?

Although the words habit and custom have much in common, habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively. // had a habit of tapping his fingers

Q: When is 'practice' a more appropriate choice than 'custom'?

In some situations, the words practice and custom are roughly equivalent. However, practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice. // our practice is to honor all major credit cards

Q: Where would 'usage' be a reasonable alternative to 'custom'?

The synonyms usage and custom are sometimes interchangeable, but usage suggests a customary action so generally followed that it has become a social norm. // western-style dress is now common usage in international business

Q: In what contexts can 'wont' take the place of 'custom'?

The words wont and custom are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group. // as was her wont , she slept until noon

custom 1 of 2

noun

ˈkə-stəm

Definition of custom next

as in ritual

a usual manner of behaving or doing it is my custom to have half a bagel and coffee for breakfast

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as in tradition

an inherited or established way of thinking, feeling, or doing the custom around here is that the bride's family pays for the wedding

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as in business

transactions or economic support provided by customers that restaurant certainly lost my custom after they were cited for health code violations

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custom

2 of 2

adjective

as in customized

made or fitted to the needs or preferences of a specific customer that business tycoon wears only custom suits

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the noun custom differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of custom are habit, practice, usage, and wont. While all these words mean "a way of acting fixed through repetition," custom applies to a practice or usage so steadily associated with an individual or group as to have almost the force of unwritten law.

the custom of wearing black at funerals

When can habit be used instead of custom?

Although the words habit and custom have much in common, habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively.

had a habit of tapping his fingers

When is practice a more appropriate choice than custom?

In some situations, the words practice and custom are roughly equivalent. However, practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

Where would usage be a reasonable alternative to custom?

The synonyms usage and custom are sometimes interchangeable, but usage suggests a customary action so generally followed that it has become a social norm.

western-style dress is now common usage in international business

In what contexts can wont take the place of custom?

The words wont and custom are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group.

as was her wont, she slept until noon

Examples of custom in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Boyd worked with the brand to create the custom piece. —

Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 16 Aug. 2024 The rap icon of Public Enemy also recently jumped in to get a custom bronze clock necklace made for American gymnast Jordan Chiles after she was stripped of her bronze medal by the International Olympic Committee. —

Penelope Jennings, CNN, 16 Aug. 2024

Adjective

Could Peanut Butter? Stephens cobbled together a custom, oversized controller using balsa wood and buttons from an arcade machine, large enough that Peanut Butter could easily press them with his paws. —

Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 18 July 2024 Arm Some of the best Arm processors come from companies like Apple and Qualcomm, which license Arm's processor instruction set but create their own custom or semi-custom CPU designs. —

Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 11 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for custom

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'custom.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Style

“Custom.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/custom. Accessed 3 Sep. 2024.

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Last Updated: 27 Aug 2024 - Updated example sentences

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Synonyms of custom

noun

adjective

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Examples of custom in a Sentence

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