practice

1 of 2

verb

prac·​tice ˈprak-təs How to pronounce practice (audio)
variants or less commonly practise
practiced also practised; practicing also practising

transitive verb

1
a
: carry out, apply
practice what you preach
b
: to do or perform often, customarily, or habitually
practice politeness
c
: to be professionally engaged in
practice medicine
2
a
: to perform or work at repeatedly so as to become proficient
practice the act
b
: to train by repeated exercises
practice pupils in penmanship
3
obsolete : plot

intransitive verb

1
: to do repeated exercises for proficiency
2
: to pursue a profession actively
3
archaic : intrigue
4
: to do something customarily
5
: to take advantage of someone
he practised on their credulity with huge successThe Times Literary Supplement (London)
practicer noun

practice

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly practise
1
a
: actual performance or application
ready to carry out in practice what they advocated in principle
b
: a repeated or customary action
had this irritating practice
c
: the usual way of doing something
local practices
d
: the form, manner, and order of conducting legal suits and prosecutions
2
a
: systematic exercise for proficiency
practice makes perfect
b
: the condition of being proficient through systematic exercise
get in practice
3
a
: the continuous exercise of a profession
b
: a professional business
especially : one constituting an incorporeal property
Choose the Right Synonym for practice

habit, practice, usage, custom, wont mean a way of acting fixed through repetition.

habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively.

had a habit of tapping his fingers

practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

usage suggests a customary action so generally followed that it has become a social norm.

western-style dress is now common usage in international business

custom applies to a practice or usage so steadily associated with an individual or group as to have almost the force of unwritten law.

the custom of wearing black at funerals

wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group.

as was her wont, she slept until noon

Examples of practice in a Sentence

Verb To be a good musician, you have to practice a lot. Have you been practicing your lines for the play? She had to practice flying in various weather conditions before she could get her pilot's license. Grandmother taught us to practice good manners. Practice what you preach—don't smoke if you tell your children not to smoke. Noun Being a good musician takes a lot of practice. I'm sure you'll learn your lines for the play with enough practice. They'll get better with practice. I'm late for trumpet practice. The marching band has practice every Wednesday afternoon. The team's practices usually last two hours. She has made a practice of volunteering at a homeless shelter one weekend a month. The country's poor sanitation practices have led to widespread disease. Burial practices vary around the world. It is common practice among my friends to not use capital letters in e-mail.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
For newer cooks, this can also present an opportunity to practice and feel more comfortable in the kitchen. Anna Luisa Rodriguez, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 He’s written or performed in every imaginable genre and practiced his art up in every musical hotbed in the country. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2024 Hemsworth shared a hilarious Instagram video of himself practicing his 2024 Oscars presenter speech with his wife from the back seat of a moving car. Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 The butter and cheesemaking traditions still practiced in tiny villages here go back more than a thousand years. Naomi Tomky, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Mar. 2024 Try meditating, practicing yoga, and spending time with friends and family. Amanda MacMillan, Health, 9 Mar. 2024 And, remember to play for enjoyment and practice responsible gambling. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Before leading Shelby's office, Britt served as deputy campaign manager for his 2016 re-election bid and was a practicing attorney. Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2024 According to Cal Fire, three to four helicopters will be flying over Folsom Lake and surrounding neighborhoods while practicing maneuvers included simulated fire drops and approaches to landing zones. Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 1 Mar. 2024
Noun
Discuss school testing results with a neuropsychologist Dr. Braaten says many practices are offering this service to help parents keep the cost lower. Suzie Glassman, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024 But that practice can ruffle feathers with the owners of masters, and has led to disputes in the past. Bill Donahue, Billboard, 15 Mar. 2024 More than two dozen medical practices prescribe rapamycin as an anti-aging treatment, according to a Washington Post review, and telehealth companies are bringing it to thousands of patients nationally. Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 The practice of giving legacy candidates a boost is especially prevalent among elite private institutions. Diane Brady, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 Hudson said a good number of law enforcement officers are unaware of the practice. Michael R. Wickline, arkansasonline.com, 15 Mar. 2024 In fact, the practice of mewing can be actually traced back half a century. Christina Pérez, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024 Then the Hapsburgs made the comforting practice their own, wooing locals with the striking, labyrinthine Széchenyi and Gellért complexes that continue to draw travelers from all over the world. Alia Akkam, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2024 Reinventing sourdough is not easy to do in San Francisco, where this baking practice has been akin to religion for more than a century. The Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appétit, 13 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'practice.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English practisen, from Middle French practiser, from Medieval Latin practizare, alteration of practicare, from practica practice, noun, from Late Latin practice, from Greek praktikē, from feminine of praktikos

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of practice was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near practice

Cite this Entry

“Practice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/practice. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

practice

1 of 2 verb
prac·​tice
variants also practise
practiced or practised; practicing or practising
1
: to perform or work at over and over so as to become skilled
practice juggling
2
: carry out, apply
practice what you preach
3
: to do or perform often or usually
practice politeness
4
: to engage in or work at as a profession
practice medicine
practicer noun

practice

2 of 2 noun
variants also practise
1
a
: actual performance or application
b
: a repeated or usual action
it was our practice to rise early
c
: the usual way of doing something
local practice
2
a
: action done over and over in order to acquire skill
practice makes perfect
b
: the condition of being skilled through practice
get in practice
3
a
: continuous work in a profession
the practice of law
b
: a professional business
the doctor has expanded her practice

Medical Definition

practice

1 of 2 verb
prac·​tice
variants or practise
practiced or practised; practicing or practising

transitive verb

: to be professionally engaged in
practice medicine

intransitive verb

: to pursue a profession actively

practice

2 of 2 noun
variants also practise
1
: the continuous exercise of a profession
2
: a professional business
especially : one constituting an incorporeal property
the doctor sold his practice and retired

Legal Definition

practice

noun
prac·​tice
1
: the form and manner of conducting judicial and quasi-judicial proceedings
2
a
: the continuous exercise of a profession
also : the performance of services that are considered to require an appropriate license
engaged in the unauthorized practice of law
b
: a professional business

More from Merriam-Webster on practice

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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