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

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

Synonyms

• commonly
• generally
• natch [slang]
• naturally
• normally
• typically
• usually

Examples 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

Such reviews ordinarily occur once instances of a potential infraction come to light, Pentagon officials have said. —Doina Chiacu, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024

The judge said these four individuals are non-parties (Oakley isn’t suing them) and in the Second Circuit, a party (i.e., MSG) ordinarily lacks standing to challenge subpoenas issued to non-parties when the objection concerns relevance or undue burden. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Dec. 2024

And while your Christmas tree might ordinarily be decked out with plain-Jane trimmings or classic tinsel, Walmart has the iconic Hallmark ornaments that will not only remind you of the good old days but spice up your decor. —Megan Schaltegger, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Dec. 2024

Such work is ordinarily done by government attorneys. —David Folkenflik, NPR, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined above