Meaning & use
customs
The government department that controls goods entering or leaving a country and collects duties on them.
See it in a sentence
Officers at customs searched the traveler's suitcase before allowing him through the airport.
The shipment was delayed for two days while it cleared customs at the border.
A note on using this word
Customs, in this sense, is always plural in form but takes a singular or plural verb depending on whether it means the agency or its officers.
Words with a similar meaning
This term is best learned through its definition and examples.
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. noun
Traditional practices or ways of behaving that are typical of a particular society or group.
Wedding customs vary enormously between different cultures and regions of the world.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “customs”, then compare your use with the examples above.