traditional

adjective

trə-ˈdish-nəl How to pronounce traditional (audio)
Definition of traditionalnext
1
as in customary
based on customs usually handed down from a previous generation a traditional Passover meal at his grandparents' house

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in conservative
tending to favor established ideas, conditions, or institutions a family that is very traditional when it comes to institutions like marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 traditional Food and drink The hotel is home to The Feathers Tavern, a cozy restaurant rooted in early American and traditional country cooking. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026 The firm’s strategy cut against the traditional VC approach from the start. — Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026 The former served as the famed theme to the film of the same name, in which Parton co-starred, while the latter was her take on the traditional folk ballad. — Xander Zellner, Billboard, 26 Aug. 2026 In addition to traditional library services, the indoor-outdoor space feels like an adventure center, with a revolutionary lending system for items like kites and snowshoes. — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for traditional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for traditional
  1. customary
  2. conservative
  3. conventional
  4. orthodox
  5. classical
  6. usual
  7. historical
Adjective
  • But in August, the boys went with Charles to Scotland for their customary holiday with the Windsors at Balmoral Castle.
    — Allie Merriam, Vanity Fair, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Ohtani threw a 20-pitch bullpen — shorter than his customary between-starts session — on Friday to tentatively set him up to throw the first inning Sunday.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of customary
Adjective
  • But that bipartisan effort was immediately panned by conservative groups, and little else has emerged as a serious solution.
    — Ashley Lopez, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Instead, the Supreme Court's conservative majority said the states had brought their lawsuit too early.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of conservative
Adjective
  • The result is a motorcycle that looks considerably more like a conventional competition dirt bike than some of the smaller electric machines that have appeared in recent years.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The approach helps explain markets such as Armenia, which would not necessarily rank near the top of a conventional fashion brand’s expansion list.
    — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of conventional
Adjective
  • King’s indifference to orthodox formats enables formal mischief.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • For a period, Pakistan deployed a 7-2 offside field against Cox to try and build some pressure, with a struggling Khurram Shahzad lacking the accuracy and rhythm to trouble him in more orthodox ways.
    — Ben Jones, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of orthodox
Adjective
  • Fame was of prime importance to the ancient Greeks, and Wilson is the rare classical scholar who has firsthand knowledge of a public life.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The shoe reimagines Repetto’s Bolchoï model, a ballerina silhouette drawing inspiration from the classical ballet pointe shoe.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of classical
Adjective
  • Immediately, Zack-Carlos goes back to reasserting his presence in the house, eager to stay as long as possible and be his usual insufferable self.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For cats that need a larger calorie reduction, Yeo said a veterinary weight-management diet may be safer than simply serving much less of their usual food because it is formulated to provide adequate nutrients with fewer calories.
    — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of usual
Adjective
  • One of Presner’s class exercises has students use language models to build historical narratives, then manipulate them.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • One major item of interest to note is the historical significance of its momentum indicators.
    — Jay Woods, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of historical

Browse Nearby Words

tradition
traditional
traditionalism
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Cite this Entry

“Traditional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/traditional. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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