wonted

Synonym Chooser

How is the word wonted distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of wonted are accustomed, customary, habitual, and usual. While all these words mean "familiar through frequent or regular repetition," wonted stresses habituation but usually applies to what is favored, sought, or purposefully cultivated.

his wonted determination

How is accustomed related to other words for wonted?

Accustomed is less emphatic than wonted or habitual in suggesting fixed habit or invariable custom.

accepted the compliment with her accustomed modesty

In what contexts can customary take the place of wonted?

The meanings of customary and wonted largely overlap; however, customary applies to what accords with the practices, conventions, or usages of an individual or community.

the customary waiting period before the application is approved

Where would habitual be a reasonable alternative to wonted?

While in some cases nearly identical to wonted, habitual suggests a practice settled or established by much repetition.

a habitual morning routine

When could usual be used to replace wonted?

Although the words usual and wonted have much in common, usual stresses the absence of strangeness or unexpectedness.

my usual order for lunch

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wonted His wonted improvisations and other departures from the script did not suggest his usual ease. Matthew Walther, TheWeek, 13 Mar. 2020 Egypt chose a different path, preferring to return to the wonted pain of dysfunctional autocracy and avoid civil war (although civil war seems even still to be creeping up on the Egyptians out of Sinai and Libya). Kenneth M. Pollack, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wonted
Adjective
  • Despite being one of the pre-tournament favorites, the Northern Irishman performed poorly in the event, which many attribute to his need to play with a different driver than usual.
    Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
  • Recruiters are no longer confined to hiring in the same usual saturated areas, benefiting emerging tech hubs.
    Nacho De Marco, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Adjective
  • As is customary in Sri Lankan culture, the father’s first name becomes the son’s last name.
    Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2025
  • For instance, in some places in the world, a cheek kiss is customary, Mr. Hanson noted.
    Catherine Pearson, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Stephen King’s novella about three chapters in the life of an ordinary man named Charles Krantz.
    Andrew Torgan, CNN Money, 1 June 2025
  • During the 2014 Western Conference final, the Los Angeles captain — who was in the midst of playing 64 extra games in a 26-month span — was asked why his Kings were so impressive in the postseason, but so ordinary in the regular season.
    Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Adjective
  • The image - more grainy than conventional high-resolution photographs and in black and white - appears to show the debris of several aircraft located along the runway of the Belaya military air base or parked in protective revetments nearby.
    Tom Balmforth, USA Today, 5 June 2025
  • For more details on the nature of conventional AI versus AGI and ASI, see my analysis at the link here.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • In a revealing interview on Insight With Chris Van Vliet, Omos detailed his journey from assuming his rapid growth was normal to facing a critical health crisis.
    Andrew Ravens‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
  • Most kids use pacifiers—and up to a certain point, that's totally normal.
    ​Wendy Wisner, Parents, 29 May 2025
Adjective
  • Differences of opinion between economists, scorekeepers and analysts are commonplace, as are the heated rhetorical attacks lobbed at the Congressional Budget Office.
    Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 4 June 2025
  • In an era where burnout is commonplace and uncertainty is constant, cultivating playful mindsets may well be one of the most powerful leadership strategies available.
    Anna Boltenko, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Adjective
  • This choice allows the plants to make maximum use of the soil's water and nutrients resources, particularly important in the poor soils and arid climates typical of Apulia.
    Elisabetta Tosi, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • Bacalao is served in all manner of dishes; one of the most popular is with pil-pil sauce, made of olive oil, garlic and the juice of the fish, and typical in the Basque Country.
    Jon Yeomans, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
Adjective
  • However, each object is characteristic of its community, made with different varieties of flint and in a particular shape.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 5 June 2025
  • This inherent volatility is characteristic of emerging technologies but represents a significant hurdle for widespread adoption.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wonted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wonted. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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