custom

noun

cus·tom | \ ˈkə-stəm

Definition of custom

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a usage or practice common to many or to a particular place or class or habitual with an individual It is the custom in New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras. funeral customs

b : long-established practice considered as unwritten law

c : repeated practice Custom makes all things easy.

d : the whole body of usages, practices, or conventions that regulate social life … family, kinship, and custom constituted the grounds of community.— V. B. Leitch

2 customs plural

a : duties, tolls, or imposts imposed by the sovereign law of a country on imports or exports

b usually singular in construction : the agency, establishment, or procedure for collecting such customs went through customs at the airport without any difficulty

3a : business patronage (see patronage sense 4)

b : usually habitual patrons : customers

custom

adjective

Definition of custom (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : made or performed according to personal order

2 : specializing in custom work or operation a custom tailor

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about custom

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Choose the Right Synonym for custom

Noun

habit, practice, usage, custom, wont mean a way of acting fixed through repetition. habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively. had a habit of tapping his fingers practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice. our practice is to honor all major credit cards usage suggests a customary action so generally followed that it has become a social norm. western-style dress is now common usage in international business custom applies to a practice or usage so steadily associated with an individual or group as to have almost the force of unwritten law. the custom of wearing black at funerals wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group. as was her wont, she slept until noon

Examples of custom in a Sentence

Noun

It is the custom for the bride to wear a white dress on her wedding day. According to custom, the festivities begin at dusk. It's a matter of custom. We went through customs at the airport without any difficulty. It took us a long time to clear customs at the border.

Adjective

The new kitchen will have custom cabinets. that business tycoon wears only custom suits

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Its customs and rituals mold their lives, and for those who’ve left, the sense of exile remains palpable. — Renée Graham, BostonGlobe.com, "People are disappointing; ‘Everything Inside’ is not," 29 Aug. 2019 To withdraw, the U.K. must extract itself from pacts under the union that affect trade, migration, customs, tariffs, and more. — Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Queen Approves a Suspension of Parliament amid Brexit Controversy," 29 Aug. 2019 Child-rearing customs that developed in Greece’s Archaic period, from the eighth century B.C. onward, were restricted to a tiny elite of young male aristocrats. — Raquel López, National Geographic, "Did sons and daughters get the same education in ancient Greece?," 28 Aug. 2019 Shortly after, another man who claimed to work for a shipping company asked FK for money to ensure the package was not inspected at customs, the complaint alleges. — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "Nigerian men in California oversaw a romance scam that targeted women worldwide, feds say," 23 Aug. 2019 According to custom, local party officials pick finalists to help the governor in the selection process and avoid a situation where the governor’s choice is rejected by the Senate. — James Brooks, Anchorage Daily News, "List of applicants for vacant Alaska Senate seat grows to 8," 21 Aug. 2019 Many British supply trucks will be unprepared for French customs, which could reduce the number of vehicles passing through to 40%-60% of current levels within one day. — Amanda Shendruk, Quartz, "Leaked Brexit document shows the UK government anticipates a no-deal, with dire consequences," 18 Aug. 2019 This violated the customs and immigration requirements to declare any cash over $10,000. — Laura Hanrahan, Woman's Day, "Why Did ‘Dance Moms’ Star Abby Lee Miller Go To Prison? Everything You Need to Know," 17 Aug. 2019 Another development, SkyBridge Arizona, looks to create a joint U.S.-Mexico customs and cargo hub at Gateway. — Riley Murdock, azcentral, "Mesa lands $5M CAVU Aerospace facility near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, up to 75 jobs," 5 Aug. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The estate is fitted with a smart home system and has custom light fixtures. — Ebony Day, azcentral, "Paradise Valley mansion with smart technology, five-car garage sells for $3.3M," 22 July 2019 New York interior designer Alex Papachristidis often designs custom pet beds in chic cottons and florals for clients. — Jura Koncius, BostonGlobe.com, "Custom wood kennels, memory foam beds: The wild world of modern pet furniture," 19 July 2019 Bloomberg has reported that Apple intends to start using its own, custom chips in Macs starting in 2020. — Lauren Goode, WIRED, "Intel's New 10-Nanometer Chips Have Finally Arrived," 1 Aug. 2019 New York interior designer Alex Papachristidis often designs custom pet beds in chic cottons and florals for clients. — Jura Koncius, BostonGlobe.com, "Custom wood kennels, memory foam beds: The wild world of modern pet furniture," 19 July 2019 New York interior designer Alex Papachristidis often designs custom pet beds in chic cottons and florals for clients. — Jura Koncius, BostonGlobe.com, "Custom wood kennels, memory foam beds: The wild world of modern pet furniture," 19 July 2019 New York interior designer Alex Papachristidis often designs custom pet beds in chic cottons and florals for clients. — Jura Koncius, Washington Post, "Custom wood kennels and memory foam beds: Welcome to the wild world of modern pet furniture," 17 July 2019 Most of the shuttle was covered with tile and over 20,000 unique silica blocks needed to be custom fit. — Kathryn Tully, Smithsonian, "At 21, Ann Montgomery Became a Lead Engineer at NASA, Managing the Cameras and Other Crucial Gear Used on the Moon," 1 Apr. 2012 Those who reach its top tiers will earn custom character skins, which... — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "This week in games: Bethesda ships Fallout 76's canvas bags and EA dubs loot boxes "surprise mechanics"," 17 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'custom.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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custom

Definition of custom

Synonyms & Antonyms for custom

Choose the Right Synonym for custom

Examples of custom in a Sentence

First Known Use of custom

History and Etymology for custom

custom

Definition of custom

Synonyms & Antonyms for custom

Choose the Right Synonym for custom

Examples of custom in a Sentence

First Known Use of custom

History and Etymology for custom

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