ordinarily
adverb
or·di·nar·i·ly
ˌȯr-də-ˈner-ə-lē 
: 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
Maggie ScarfOrdinarily, the immune system of any mammal will work to fight off a fungal parasite.—David Quammen
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
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
Walt WhitmanExamples of ordinarily in a Sentence
ordinarily, I get off work at five, but this week I'm working late to meet a project deadline
Recent Examples on the Web
Works that ordinarily hung elsewhere in the Uffizi were rushed into the Tribuna for the queen’s delight.
—Jackson Arn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The board ordinarily consists of bipartisan members, but its current iteration is now made up entirely of Trump appointees, including Usha Vance, the wife of Vice President JD Vance, and the president’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Dec. 2025
The dress made Martin, whom Paltrow shares with former husband and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, appear even more statuesque than the 21-year-old model does ordinarily.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 17 Dec. 2025
Inflation is still well above the Fed's target, which would ordinarily call for keeping interest rates elevated.
—Scott Horsley, NPR, 10 Dec. 2025
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Jackson Arn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The board ordinarily consists of bipartisan members, but its current iteration is now made up entirely of Trump appointees, including Usha Vance, the wife of Vice President JD Vance, and the president’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Dec. 2025
The dress made Martin, whom Paltrow shares with former husband and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, appear even more statuesque than the 21-year-old model does ordinarily.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 17 Dec. 2025
Inflation is still well above the Fed's target, which would ordinarily call for keeping interest rates elevated.
—Scott Horsley, NPR, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ordinarily
Cite this Entry
“Ordinarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ordinarily. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
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