habituation

noun

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ha·bit·u·a·tion | \ hə-ˌbi-chə-ˈwā-shən

, ha-, -chü-ˈā- \

Definition of habituation

1 : the process of habituating : the state of being habituated

2a : tolerance to the effects of a drug acquired through continued use

b : psychological dependence on a drug after a period of use — compare addiction

3 : decrease in responsiveness upon repeated exposure to a stimulus

Examples of habituation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Such predatory behavior is rare, even though many of the black and grizzly bears living in the contiguous United States exhibit a certain degree of habituation, officials said in the report. — Jonathan Edwards, Anchorage Daily News, 19 July 2022 Such predatory behavior is rare, even though many of the black and grizzly bears living in the contiguous United States exhibit a certain degree of habituation, officials said in the report. — Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 19 July 2022 Because of this, deconstructing the causes behind the habituation of our actions and searching for new ways to integrate intention and self-control into our lives has taken center stage in the field of psychology. — Mark Travers, Forbes, 21 June 2022 The capability for suicide is fostered by a habituation to pain and violence, say academics and clinicians, and then facilitated by a technical knowledge of how to use lethal weapons. — Jose A. Del Real, Washington Post, 23 May 2022 The Confusion-Habituation Balance should be slightly unbalanced in favor of habituation. — Jason Karp, Outside Online, 12 Jan. 2021 There is almost no danger of habituation at this level. — Dr. Keith Roach, oregonlive, 4 Jan. 2022 At first, scenes such as this one took place only in enclosures, part of a process of training and habituation for the dogs. — Anthony Ham, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Nov. 2021 Do not feed owls mice or other prey, which may lead to unintended negative impacts, like habituation to people, higher likelihood of vehicle collision and disease. — Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 21 Nov. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'habituation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries Near habituation

habituate

habituation

habituative

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Last Updated

26 Jul 2022

Cite this Entry

“Habituation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/habituation. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for habituation

habituation

noun

ha·bit·u·a·tion | \ -ˌbich-ə-ˈwā-shən

Medical Definition of habituation

1 : the act or process of making habitual or accustomed

2a : tolerance to the effects of a drug acquired through continued use

b : psychological dependence on a drug after a period of use — compare addiction

3 : a form of nonassociative learning characterized by a decrease in responsiveness upon repeated exposure to a stimulus — compare sensitization sense 3