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
Judges could find the NCAA’s exclusion of players who signed NBA contracts sensible considering that college sports are typically played by degree-seeking students who ordinarily spend four or five years in school and then move on to another phase of life, usually a job or grad school.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Other states ordinarily associated with lower costs of living topped the list.
—Angela Palermo
february 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 Feb. 2026
Disney, who ordinarily did not accept outside commercial work, agreed to take on the assignment if Eleanor would donate $1,500 to the Army Relief Fund.
—Seán McMahon, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The weather blew away any hope of the team arriving in NYC by early morning as planned, and several late-night texts revealed what might ordinarily be described as a white-knuckle drive, only nobody was holding the steering wheel.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordinarily
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Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Other states ordinarily associated with lower costs of living topped the list.
—Angela Palermo
february 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 Feb. 2026
Disney, who ordinarily did not accept outside commercial work, agreed to take on the assignment if Eleanor would donate $1,500 to the Army Relief Fund.
—Seán McMahon, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The weather blew away any hope of the team arriving in NYC by early morning as planned, and several late-night texts revealed what might ordinarily be described as a white-knuckle drive, only nobody was holding the steering wheel.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ordinarily
Cite this Entry
“Ordinarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ordinarily. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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