English Reference
adjective

accustomed

adj.
US /əˈkəstəmd/ UK /ɐkˈʌstəmd/ ac·cus·tomed

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    familiar with something because you have done it or experienced it often.

    familiar with something through repeated experience or habit; adapted to specific conditions.

    Simple

    It took a few weeks, but I am finally accustomed to the cold weather here.

    In context

    After years of living in the city, she found herself so accustomed to the constant background noise that the silence of the countryside kept her awake.

    Usage

    Usually follows the verb 'to be' or 'to become' and takes the preposition 'to'.

    Pitfall
    I am accustomed to wake up early. I am accustomed to waking up early.

    The word 'to' here is a preposition, so it must be followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form), not the base verb.

    used tohabituatedadapted
    unaccustomedunfamiliar
  2. 02 C1 Advanced FormalLiterary

    describing something that is your normal habit or the usual way things are done.

    customary or usual; describing an action, position, or object that is established by habit.

    Simple

    He sat down in his accustomed seat at the head of the table.

    In context

    The diplomat spoke with his accustomed elegance, navigating the difficult questions without causing any offense to the visiting delegation.

    Usage

    Often placed before the noun it describes.

This drop in temperature might come as a bit of a shock for some after being accustomed to the hotter-than-average weather we've seen for weeks.

BBC News· 17 Aug 2026

This ensures that Sartore will have better access to the animals and that they’ll be accustomed to being around people.

Smithsonian Magazine· 7 Aug 2026

From accustom + -ed.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated