by/from force of habit

idiom

: without thinking because it is what one usually does
He reached into his pocket for his keys by/from force of habit.

Examples of by/from force of habit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Independent stores closed, as did chain outposts that perhaps had stayed open from force of habit. John King, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Nov. 2021 The survivors who congregate, by force of habit rather than any grand plan, at the shopping mall in which the film takes place are barely more lifelike than the ghouls who wish to feast upon them. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 19 Jan. 2023

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

Dictionary Entries Near by/from force of habit

by/from all reports

by/from force of habit

bygane

Cite this Entry

“By/from force of habit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/by%2Ffrom%20force%20of%20habit. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!