regular 1 of 2

adjective

ˈre-gyə-lər How to pronounce regular (audio)
Definition of regularnext
1
as in frequent
appearing or occurring repeatedly from time to time what with one or another of our pets having problems, we've been regular visitors at the animal hospital

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in systematic
following a set method, arrangement, or pattern he's followed a regular schedule for almost 20 years: up by 5, in bed by 10

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in formal
following or agreeing with established form, custom, or rules thought about having a nontraditional wedding but in the end went with a regular ceremony instead

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in unconditional
having no exceptions or restrictions your room is a regular sty, and you need to clean it before you can go to the movies

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in normal
having or showing the qualities associated with the members of a particular group or kind tantrums aren't his regular behavior was just a regular guy who preferred hanging out with friends

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

regular

2 of 2

noun

1
as in soldier
a person engaged in military service throughout the war, the regulars were supplemented by corps of volunteers and militiamen

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in familiar
someone who regularly spends time in a particular place the coffeehouse regulars were put out by the interlopers occupying their usual table

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective regular differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of regular are natural, normal, and typical. While all these words mean "being of the sort or kind that is expected as usual, ordinary, or average," regular stresses conformity to a rule, standard, or pattern.

the club's regular monthly meeting

In what contexts can natural take the place of regular?

The words natural and regular are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, natural applies to what conforms to a thing's essential nature, function, or mode of being.

the natural love of a mother for her child

When is it sensible to use normal instead of regular?

While in some cases nearly identical to regular, normal implies lack of deviation from what has been discovered or established as the most usual or expected.

normal behavior for a two-year-old

When would typical be a good substitute for regular?

The synonyms typical and regular are sometimes interchangeable, but typical implies showing all important traits of a type, class, or group and may suggest lack of strong individuality.

a typical small town

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 regular
Adjective
Anger has been brewing in the Himalayan nation for years about the country’s worsening youth unemployment and lack of economic opportunities, exacerbated by what many view as a growing disparity between the country’s elite and regular people. —Sugam Pokharel, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025 Under the new agreement, PIX11 will carry 30 Mets games each season from 2026 through 2028, including 25 regular season games primarily on Friday nights, and five spring training games. —Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
In addition to Robinson, whose character is named William Ronald Trosper, series regulars include Lake Bell (Childrens Hospital) as Barb Trosper, Sophia Lillis (Sharp Objects, IT) as Natalie Trosper, Will Price (Goosebumps) as Seth Trosper, and Joseph Tudisco (Law & Order) as Mike Santini. —Nick Caruso, TVLine, 8 Sep. 2025 In addition to Tim Robinson as William Ronald Trosper, series regulars include Lake Bell as Barb Trosper, Sophia Lillis as Natalie Trosper, Will Price as Seth Trosper, and Joseph Tudisco as Mike Santini. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for regular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regular
  1. frequent
  2. systematic
  3. formal
  4. unconditional
  5. normal
  6. soldier
  7. familiar
  8. periodic
Adjective
  • The new policy, first reported by One Mile at a Time, isn't a blanket ban on kids in first class, but restricts young children from getting a first class seat using frequent flyer miles or by getting an upgrade.
    — Zach Wichter, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Speaking on a podcast last year, Kirk described receiving frequent death threats, saying the dangerous messages showed his political movement had struck a nerve with political opponents.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of frequent
Adjective
  • Two separate systematic reviews and meta-analyses highlight these benefits.
    — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
  • This systematic approach helped Singapore rank second in the 2025 IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking and fourth in the 2024 WIPO Global Innovation Index, proving that infrastructure investment trumps incentive programs.
    — Kevin Cushnie, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of systematic
Adjective
  • The former officials’ attorneys, represented by former Hunter Biden attorney Abbe Lowell, are seeking back pay and a formal declaration that the firings were unlawful.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The proposal has not yet been presented to the FA Board and there has been no formal vote at EFL level, either.
    — Matt Slater, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of formal
Adjective
  • Khusnullin has earned Putin’s unconditional trust due to his lengthy experience in remaking cities.
    — Yegor Mostovshikov, The Dial, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Hamas, however, said any talks would not be unconditional—underscoring the entrenchment on both sides.
    — Amira El-Fekki‎, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Definition of unconditional
Adjective
  • Many automakers returned to advertising during the NFL season last year as vehicle inventory levels returned to more normal levels.
    — Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Her therapist – who Heming Willis accidentally referred to her as her own caregiver – explained how normal these feelings were.
    — David Oliver, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of normal
Noun
  • The Guard may have worn out its welcome, but soldiers were still assigned to the region.
    — Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 14 Sep. 2025
  • The Netzah Yehuda Battalion, formerly Nahal Haredi, enables Haredi men to serve as combat soldiers while observing strict religious practices.
    — Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 14 Sep. 2025
Definition of soldier
Noun
  • The sound of K-pop also hums through the other magical elements of the film, especially HUNTR/X’s weapons and the strange familiars that Rumi and Ji-noo (Ahn Hyo-seop) use to communicate with each other across enemy lines.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The Santal, in South Asia, believed that witches (always female) copulated with spirit familiars and devoured the organs of children.
    — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 17 May 2025
Definition of familiar
Adjective
  • By contrast, an investment product with private asset exposure designed for workplace retirement plans may have somewhat lower costs and let investors put money in regularly as well as make periodic withdrawals during the year.
    — Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The state is a non-equilibrium quantum state of matter in a system driven by a time-periodic Hamiltonian, which is a physical system whose governing rules change over time, but with a repeating, predictable cycle.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of periodic

Browse Nearby Words

regs
regular
regularities
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Cite this Entry

“Regular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regular. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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