ordinarily

adverb

or·​di·​nar·​i·​ly ˌȯr-də-ˈner-ə-lē How to pronounce ordinarily (audio)
: in an ordinary manner or to an ordinary extent: such as
a
: in the ordinary course of events : usually
She was ordinarily very busy in the morning.
the jobs ordinarily handled by junior staff members
… cortisol, a hormone which ordinarily comes into play in situations of bodily stress …Maggie Scarf
Ordinarily, the immune system of any mammal will work to fight off a fungal parasite.David Quammen
b
: to the usual extent : moderately
It must suffice for him to be ordinarily honest according to the ordinary honesty of the world's ways …Anthony Trollope
c
: in a commonplace or inferior way : without distinction
A friend of mine … has two apartments on the 3rd floor, very ordinarily furnished …Walt Whitman

Examples of ordinarily in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Swift’s appearances at various NFL match-ups involving the Chiefs last season — including the team’s appearance in Super Bowl LVIII — caught the eye of many younger consumers who might not ordinarily be football fans. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024 But not knowing whether that charity will get to people in their time of greatest need has created a sense of frustration not ordinarily an element of zakat, Tarin said. Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 These pastries bring together ingredients and influences—of Morocco, India, Denmark, and Bahrain, among others—that might not ordinarily find their way into one treat, and artfully capture their makers’ identities. The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 13 Mar. 2024 Pre-emptive rights in a JOA ordinarily apply equally or symmetrically to all partners under the precept that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Ed Hirs, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The rental and ownership measures ordinarily move together because they are based on the same underlying data — the survey of thousands of rental units. Ben Casselman, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2024 Some experts recommend a series of random words that don’t ordinarily go together. Larry Magid, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2024 Something given away in a product category that a brand doesn’t ordinarily produce—a Champagne flute from a company that produces clothing and small leather goods, for example. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2024 While ordinarily that growth would have plateaued by the end of the 2010s, the pandemic gave it an unexpected, and partially artificial, second wind, as people were stuck at home during lockdown and many who had not previously adapted to streaming did so. Jem Aswad, Variety, 7 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ordinarily was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near ordinarily

Cite this Entry

“Ordinarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ordinarily. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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