commonly

American  

[kom-uhn-lee] / ˈkɒm ən li /

adverb

1. often; frequently.

   commonly used words.

2. usually; generally; ordinarily.

   Synonyms:

   routinely, customarily, normally

3. in a common manner.

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commonly British  

/ ˈkɒmənlɪ /

adverb

1. usually; ordinarily

   he was commonly known as Joe

2. derogatory in a coarse or vulgar way

   she dresses commonly

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Etymology

Origin of commonly

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English communeli(che); equivalent to common + -ly

Explanation

The adverb commonly is good for talking about something that usually or ordinarily happens. Mice, for example, are commonly afraid of cats. Commonly describes an action that's to be expected. You could say that the bus commonly picks you up fifteen minutes late, or that colds and flu are commonly passed around between kids at school. The earliest use of commonly, around 1300, was to mean "in a way common to all," from the adjective common, or "belonging to all." The Latin root communis means "in common, public, or shared by all or many."

Example Sentences

Tesla’s were the most commonly searched for vehicle among used EVs on the site, according to Cars.com data.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Swan then continues, “and it is tightly linked to chemicals that are commonly used in plastic.”

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026

The culprit is most commonly tiny inner-ear crystals that normally help the ear sense position and movement.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Metformin is commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes and is already prescribed off-label to as many as 13,000 Australians with type 1 diabetes.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

More commonly, the dryness comes back and the fuzz of grass withers or a little frost curls it and there’s that amount of seed wasted.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• frequently
• generally
• more often than not
• ordinarily
• regularly